Price hike of materials affects handloom industry of Rangamati
Our Correspondent | Friday, 27 February 2009
RANGAMATI, Feb 26: Owners of the traditional handloom factories in the Rangamati hill district are unhappy as the prices of yarn, dying and other weaving materials unexpectedly went up by fifty per cent.
There are nine handloom textiles in the district. They are: Bain Textile, Nakshi Textile, Banalata Textile, Banani Textile, Tantuz Textile, Craft and Fashion Textile, Bayan Textile, Majumder Textile and Rakhain Textile.
Pinon-khadi (indigenous women is dresses), three-pieces, punjabi, frock, orna, fatua, shirt, bedcover, floor mat, dining mat, cushion cover etc being made here are very attractive to the tourists.
Bain Textile was first established in 1965 at Tribal Officers' Colony at Tabalchhari in the town. Munjulika Chakma is the owner of the textile. Following her footsteps, the owners of the other textiles started their handloom business about twenty years back in the district.
"A good number of quality handloom items are sent to different aristocratic showrooms in the capital city Dhaka," said Manjulika.
"Last year, I got about Tk 3.5 million of which 65 per cent is production cost. Our overall sales have now reduced as number of tourists has declined because of the off-season," she said.
Government should provide subsidy to our handloom sector so that the industry could expand and sustain, she added.
At least 2000 ultra-poor female workers have been engaged in the different handloom factories in the district which gives them their livelihood.
"I am working here for the last three years. My salary is now Tk 2000," said Lalita Chakma, a young female worker at Bain Textile. However, an expert in weaving gets Tk 2,500 to 3,000 per month.
There are nine handloom textiles in the district. They are: Bain Textile, Nakshi Textile, Banalata Textile, Banani Textile, Tantuz Textile, Craft and Fashion Textile, Bayan Textile, Majumder Textile and Rakhain Textile.
Pinon-khadi (indigenous women is dresses), three-pieces, punjabi, frock, orna, fatua, shirt, bedcover, floor mat, dining mat, cushion cover etc being made here are very attractive to the tourists.
Bain Textile was first established in 1965 at Tribal Officers' Colony at Tabalchhari in the town. Munjulika Chakma is the owner of the textile. Following her footsteps, the owners of the other textiles started their handloom business about twenty years back in the district.
"A good number of quality handloom items are sent to different aristocratic showrooms in the capital city Dhaka," said Manjulika.
"Last year, I got about Tk 3.5 million of which 65 per cent is production cost. Our overall sales have now reduced as number of tourists has declined because of the off-season," she said.
Government should provide subsidy to our handloom sector so that the industry could expand and sustain, she added.
At least 2000 ultra-poor female workers have been engaged in the different handloom factories in the district which gives them their livelihood.
"I am working here for the last three years. My salary is now Tk 2000," said Lalita Chakma, a young female worker at Bain Textile. However, an expert in weaving gets Tk 2,500 to 3,000 per month.