'Shankha' industry struggling for survival
Monday, 10 May 2010
Sonia H Moni
Shankharees, the shankha (bangle) craftsmen of Shankhari Bazar, are facing tough time as Shankha industry is struggling for survival due to higher prices of raw materials and stiff competition from imported Indian products.
Shankha is a richly decorated bangle curved out of conch -shells. These traditional crafts are mainly used by Hindu women, which symbolise that a Hindu woman is married.
There are around 30 shankha shops in the Shakhari Bazar.
Nanda Gopal, a 60-year old shankha craftsman, said, "I have been jobless since last two months as Shankharibazar Shankha Shilpa Karigar Samity, a committee of owners and workers, which only provides automated cutting machine, has been shut down for last two months."
He said, "We work as per the mahajans' (wholesalers) requirement of shankha, but they are not providing conch-shells, which are now sold at much higher prices, throwing us out of job."
"I have two sons and one school-going girl. I am finding it difficult to maintain the family expenses."
Mahajans are reluctant to talk on the issue. They, however, said the matter will be resolved soon.
Gopal said 80-100 families depend on the business and their fate hinges on the Shankharibazar Shankha Shilpa Karigar Samity. He, however, only a few craftsmen are working in designing on the cut shankhas, whose stock is fast dwindling.
He said, "I have been working here since last 35 years. My forefathers were involved in this artisanship trade."
He said, "Indian shankha has flooded the local market, hurting our employment generation, meaning we have less work orders, reduced earnings."
He blamed the mahajons for destroying their livelihood.
"The Indian shankhas are cheaper. But the quality of locally cut and designed shankha is rich in quality. The longevity of locally manufactured shankha is fur better than Indians."
He said charge of the craftsmen depends on the intricacy of the design and the amount of time it requires. The usual rate ranges from Tk 35 to Tk 100 a pair of shankha. The workers' daily income varies, but generally it ranges between Tk 150 and Tk 300.
Rony Kumar Sur of New Laxmi Bhandar, a 60-year old shankha outlet, said short supply of raw materials is one big reason for their dwindling business. After the Tsunami the natural production of conch-shells was badly effected."
"Mainly the conch-shell is imported from Sri Lanka. Now we have to buy a big size conch-shell at around Tk 2000 to Tk 2500 while its price was only Tk 500 to Tk 600 five years back."
He said, "We have to spend four to five times more to buy a conch-shell, which means it is tough to import and do business. I am sorry to say that most of the outlets of Shakhari Razar are selling Indian shankha, which is an open secret."
The import duty on conch shells is currently 35 percent and it takes about three months to receive the shipment from Sri Lanka as it has to come via Singapore.
The price of a pair of locally made shankha starts from Tk 200 and it can go up to Tk 3,000, depending on design, cut and thickness, whereas Indian shankhas cost between Tk 150 and Tk 700.
Soumitra Naag, owner of Maa Monosha Shankha Shilpaloy, said: "There was a time when every household of Shankharibazar area was involved in shankha trade one way or the other. Shankha used to be the identity of this area."
"During pre-liberation period there were around 400 shankha craftsmen. Now there are around a hundred of them."
Hindu women used to wear shankha for religious reason, but today's modern women wear it also as a fashion. So it has tremendous business opportunity if the government takes proper initiative to boost the shankha industry, Naag said.
Shankharees, the shankha (bangle) craftsmen of Shankhari Bazar, are facing tough time as Shankha industry is struggling for survival due to higher prices of raw materials and stiff competition from imported Indian products.
Shankha is a richly decorated bangle curved out of conch -shells. These traditional crafts are mainly used by Hindu women, which symbolise that a Hindu woman is married.
There are around 30 shankha shops in the Shakhari Bazar.
Nanda Gopal, a 60-year old shankha craftsman, said, "I have been jobless since last two months as Shankharibazar Shankha Shilpa Karigar Samity, a committee of owners and workers, which only provides automated cutting machine, has been shut down for last two months."
He said, "We work as per the mahajans' (wholesalers) requirement of shankha, but they are not providing conch-shells, which are now sold at much higher prices, throwing us out of job."
"I have two sons and one school-going girl. I am finding it difficult to maintain the family expenses."
Mahajans are reluctant to talk on the issue. They, however, said the matter will be resolved soon.
Gopal said 80-100 families depend on the business and their fate hinges on the Shankharibazar Shankha Shilpa Karigar Samity. He, however, only a few craftsmen are working in designing on the cut shankhas, whose stock is fast dwindling.
He said, "I have been working here since last 35 years. My forefathers were involved in this artisanship trade."
He said, "Indian shankha has flooded the local market, hurting our employment generation, meaning we have less work orders, reduced earnings."
He blamed the mahajons for destroying their livelihood.
"The Indian shankhas are cheaper. But the quality of locally cut and designed shankha is rich in quality. The longevity of locally manufactured shankha is fur better than Indians."
He said charge of the craftsmen depends on the intricacy of the design and the amount of time it requires. The usual rate ranges from Tk 35 to Tk 100 a pair of shankha. The workers' daily income varies, but generally it ranges between Tk 150 and Tk 300.
Rony Kumar Sur of New Laxmi Bhandar, a 60-year old shankha outlet, said short supply of raw materials is one big reason for their dwindling business. After the Tsunami the natural production of conch-shells was badly effected."
"Mainly the conch-shell is imported from Sri Lanka. Now we have to buy a big size conch-shell at around Tk 2000 to Tk 2500 while its price was only Tk 500 to Tk 600 five years back."
He said, "We have to spend four to five times more to buy a conch-shell, which means it is tough to import and do business. I am sorry to say that most of the outlets of Shakhari Razar are selling Indian shankha, which is an open secret."
The import duty on conch shells is currently 35 percent and it takes about three months to receive the shipment from Sri Lanka as it has to come via Singapore.
The price of a pair of locally made shankha starts from Tk 200 and it can go up to Tk 3,000, depending on design, cut and thickness, whereas Indian shankhas cost between Tk 150 and Tk 700.
Soumitra Naag, owner of Maa Monosha Shankha Shilpaloy, said: "There was a time when every household of Shankharibazar area was involved in shankha trade one way or the other. Shankha used to be the identity of this area."
"During pre-liberation period there were around 400 shankha craftsmen. Now there are around a hundred of them."
Hindu women used to wear shankha for religious reason, but today's modern women wear it also as a fashion. So it has tremendous business opportunity if the government takes proper initiative to boost the shankha industry, Naag said.