Rehabilitation of the handloom sector
Saturday, 1 September 2007
Enamul Haque
THE total demand for fabrics in the country is estimated to be about 1676 million metres. Sixty three per cent of this requirement or 800 million metres are produced by the local handloom operators who make clothes used by common people such as saris, lungis, gamchas, etc. More than 10 million people are linked directly or indirectly with handloom industries. Thus, it should be obvious how this sector has enormous significance in the national economy though in matters of official recognition of its importance gross neglect is noted.
The handloom industries in many places were badly hit by the on- going flood. Specially in the Sirajganj district where there is a heavy concentration of handloom industries, damages have been widespread. Handloom operators in many other places of the country suffered the same consequences from the flood and the total losses to the sector from the calamity are considered to be crushing for those engaged in it. Therefore, the first requirement would be a prompt assessment of the number of handllom enterprises which have been so devastated by the flood. On the basis of the findings, the flood afflicted handloom operators should be aided generously for their recovery.
In many cases, they will need start up capital to replace useless machinery and to buy yarn, dyes and other things. In other cases, the requirements would be less. Some should be sufficiently helped with the working capital on easy terms. In every case, the affected ones should be helped in proportion to need but adequately. This would hasten the vital recovery in this sector which has the potential to generate employment and income extensively at the grass roots level where the flood has created havoc. Aiding the handloom sector towards the fastest recovery will mean succeeding in large measure in the overall flood recovery programme that aims to help the poor and distressed ones in great number to resume normal life.
But handloom sector has been stagnating for a long time. the According to reports , about 70 per cent of the handlooms closed down in the Narsingdi district well before the flood. This region, which was once famous for its handloom textiles , is now a shadow of its golden past. Over 0.1 million looms closed down in this district over the last thirty-five years throwing over 80,000 weavers into unemployment. This picture of the handloom factories there is also a representative one of handloom factories in varying degrees in other parts of the country.
But this sector can be quickly uplifted in every sense to create jobs at the grassroots level where the same are badly needed. Besides, the handloom products can be a source of substantial foreign currency earnings. Skull caps, lungis, gamchas, bedsheets, bedcovers, etc., produced by the handloom sector are being exported to some Middle Eastern and South East Asian countries. The handloom sector has a great deal of potential for further value addition in the RMG sector through further meeting local needs of fabrics and expanding sales of its products directly in foreign countries. But at the moment 37.6 per cent of the handlooms all over the country are reportedly not operational.
The main problem of the handloom sector is one of credit. Handloom factories must be in a position to access institutional credit at reasonable rates of interest having flexible mode of repayment. The authorities should ensure conditions when the handloom operators can buy yarn, dyes and chemicals at reasonable prices. The illegal sale of imported fabrics of the RMG sector in the local market and the smuggling in of Indian textiles products must also be stopped.
THE total demand for fabrics in the country is estimated to be about 1676 million metres. Sixty three per cent of this requirement or 800 million metres are produced by the local handloom operators who make clothes used by common people such as saris, lungis, gamchas, etc. More than 10 million people are linked directly or indirectly with handloom industries. Thus, it should be obvious how this sector has enormous significance in the national economy though in matters of official recognition of its importance gross neglect is noted.
The handloom industries in many places were badly hit by the on- going flood. Specially in the Sirajganj district where there is a heavy concentration of handloom industries, damages have been widespread. Handloom operators in many other places of the country suffered the same consequences from the flood and the total losses to the sector from the calamity are considered to be crushing for those engaged in it. Therefore, the first requirement would be a prompt assessment of the number of handllom enterprises which have been so devastated by the flood. On the basis of the findings, the flood afflicted handloom operators should be aided generously for their recovery.
In many cases, they will need start up capital to replace useless machinery and to buy yarn, dyes and other things. In other cases, the requirements would be less. Some should be sufficiently helped with the working capital on easy terms. In every case, the affected ones should be helped in proportion to need but adequately. This would hasten the vital recovery in this sector which has the potential to generate employment and income extensively at the grass roots level where the flood has created havoc. Aiding the handloom sector towards the fastest recovery will mean succeeding in large measure in the overall flood recovery programme that aims to help the poor and distressed ones in great number to resume normal life.
But handloom sector has been stagnating for a long time. the According to reports , about 70 per cent of the handlooms closed down in the Narsingdi district well before the flood. This region, which was once famous for its handloom textiles , is now a shadow of its golden past. Over 0.1 million looms closed down in this district over the last thirty-five years throwing over 80,000 weavers into unemployment. This picture of the handloom factories there is also a representative one of handloom factories in varying degrees in other parts of the country.
But this sector can be quickly uplifted in every sense to create jobs at the grassroots level where the same are badly needed. Besides, the handloom products can be a source of substantial foreign currency earnings. Skull caps, lungis, gamchas, bedsheets, bedcovers, etc., produced by the handloom sector are being exported to some Middle Eastern and South East Asian countries. The handloom sector has a great deal of potential for further value addition in the RMG sector through further meeting local needs of fabrics and expanding sales of its products directly in foreign countries. But at the moment 37.6 per cent of the handlooms all over the country are reportedly not operational.
The main problem of the handloom sector is one of credit. Handloom factories must be in a position to access institutional credit at reasonable rates of interest having flexible mode of repayment. The authorities should ensure conditions when the handloom operators can buy yarn, dyes and chemicals at reasonable prices. The illegal sale of imported fabrics of the RMG sector in the local market and the smuggling in of Indian textiles products must also be stopped.