Saving Shital Pati industry

Shital Pati, a natural cool mat, once used to be very popular for home decoration during hot summer months. There was a time when people used to have at least one such mat in every household. However, with the passage of time, Shital Pati has become part of our history instead of being used as an everyday product. Once Shital Pati of Sylhet was very popular both at home and aboard.
Making the item was a means of livelihood for thousands of people at that time. Despite a rising demand for the mat, the cottage industry is on the verge of extinction for various reasons, including unavailability of Murtar, a kind of tree from which the mat is made. Though the item was made in different other areas of Sylhet, Shital Pati of Balaganj is famous. It enjoyed high demand both in local and international markets, and was exported to England, France and Russia.
Until the 1990's, the raw material for making Shital Pati was easily available. With the rise in population, people started setting up houses in the fields where Murtar trees used to grow. As a result, the number of Murtar gardens decreased. So, the mat makers are now struggling to survive. Many of them have already left their profession.
The revival of the Shital Pati industry requires commercial cultivation of Murtar trees and financial assistance for the mat makers. We urge the authorities concerned to save this industry from going into extinction by taking necessary initiatives. Otherwise, Shital Pati may not be found anywhere in Bangladesh except in museums.

Mohammad Yasin Islam,
Student of Department of Sociology,
Jagannath University,
yasinislam3377@gmail.com