Handloom industry faces acute crisis

Due to recent floods over 50,000 units severely damaged affecting 2.5 lakh people

Approximately 50,000 handloom units in five upazilas of Kazipur, Sirajganj Sadar, Belkuchi, Shahzadpur and Chowhali in Sirajganj district have shut down due to the recent floods incurring huge losses. The devastating floods affected the livelihood of at least 2.5 lakh people, causing acute economic hardship to those associated with the industry.    
Randa Shyam, acting liaison officer of Bangladesh Handloom Baord in Sirajganj Office, said about 24,500 handlooms out of 70,000 in Sirajganj Sadar, Kazipur, Kamarkhanda and Belkuchi upazila have been badly damaged.
Those handlooms could not start operation so far due to fund crisis.
Khalekuzzaman, acting liaison officer of Bangladesh Tant Baord in Ullapara Office, said about 10,500 handlooms have become out of order in Ullapara upazila of the district centering the recent flood and are yet to be started operation.
Jahangir Hossain, supervisor of Bangladesh Handloom Board in Shahzadpur Office, said that the immediate past flood damaged around 15,000 handlooms out of 11, 7000 in Chowhali and Shahzadpur upazila in the district.
Randa Shyam, Khalekuzzaman and Jahangir Hossain further said that, the damaged of 50,000 handlooms under the said upazilas has caused of losses at about Tk 100 crore to the handloom owners and workers. For this reason, most of the handloom owners and workers have already sat on the way.
Even though the flood waters have receded, the owners of various handloom units and workers in the area can’t resume work because their factories and looms are either partially or completely damaged. It also adversely affected others dependent on the industry like yarn manufacturers and dye makers.
“I had a handloom factory in which I had 10 handloom machines. But all the wooden machinery and raw material got severely damaged after the flood waters inundated the ground floor of my factory. We cannot work anymore on these looms and are jobless,” said Hazi Jelkad Ali of Azugora village in Belkuchi upazila.
Kudrat Ali, another handloom unit owner in Jalalpur village in Chowhali upazila, said that all his 12 looms and raw material such as dyes, yarns and fabrics got damaged due to the flood. He expressed his helplessness to restart the factory because of acute shortage of funds.
The Handloom Owners and Workers Association pegged the damage caused by the floods at Tk 100 core, affecting close to 50,000 handloom units in the area.
 Most of the 2.5 lakh people working in the handloom sector have been rendered jobless and are staring at a grim financial future. Some of them have started looking for work elsewhere.
Wali Uddin, district relief and rehabilitation officer in Sirajganj, though acknowledged the plight of the people associated with the handloom sector, expressed helplessness to provide any succour due to the lack of funds for relief and rehabilitation.
He, however, informed that he will try to draw the attention of senior officials so that some financial assistance could be provided to the affected people.

Handloom industry faces acute crisis

Due to recent floods over 50,000 units severely damaged affecting 2.5 lakh people

Approximately 50,000 handloom units in five upazilas of Kazipur, Sirajganj Sadar, Belkuchi, Shahzadpur and Chowhali in Sirajganj district have shut down due to the recent floods incurring huge losses. The devastating floods affected the livelihood of at least 2.5 lakh people, causing acute economic hardship to those associated with the industry. Randa Shyam, acting liaison officer of Bangladesh Handloom Baord in Sirajganj Office, said about 24,500 handlooms out of 70,000 in Sirajganj Sadar, Kazipur, Kamarkhanda and Belkuchi upazila have been badly damaged. Those handlooms could not start operation so far due to fund crisis. Khalekuzzaman, acting liaison officer of Bangladesh Tant Baord in Ullapara Office, said about 10,500 handlooms have become out of order in Ullapara upazila of the district centering the recent flood and are yet to be started operation. Jahangir Hossain, supervisor of Bangladesh Handloom Board in Shahzadpur Office, said that the immediate past flood damaged around 15,000 handlooms out of 11, 7000 in Chowhali and Shahzadpur upazila in the district. Randa Shyam, Khalekuzzaman and Jahangir Hossain further said that, the damaged of 50,000 handlooms under the said upazilas has caused of losses at about Tk 100 crore to the handloom owners and workers. For this reason, most of the handloom owners and workers have already sat on the way. Even though the flood waters have receded, the owners of various handloom units and workers in the area cant resume work because their factories and looms are either partially or completely damaged. It also adversely affected others dependent on the industry like yarn manufacturers and dye makers. I had a handloom factory in which I had 10 handloom machines. But all the wooden machinery and raw material got severely damaged after the flood waters inundated the ground floor of my factory. We cannot work anymore on these looms and are jobless, said Hazi Jelkad Ali of Azugora village in Belkuchi upazila. Kudrat Ali, another handloom unit owner in Jalalpur village in Chowhali upazila, said that all his 12 looms and raw material such as dyes, yarns and fabrics got damaged due to the flood. He expressed his helplessness to restart the factory because of acute shortage of funds. The Handloom Owners and Workers Association pegged the damage caused by the floods at Tk 100 core, affecting close to 50,000 handloom units in the area. Most of the 2.5 lakh people working in the handloom sector have been rendered jobless and are staring at a grim financial future. Some of them have started looking for work elsewhere. Wali Uddin, district relief and rehabilitation officer in Sirajganj, though acknowledged the plight of the people associated with the handloom sector, expressed helplessness to provide any succour due to the lack of funds for relief and rehabilitation. He, however, informed that he will try to draw the attention of senior officials so that some financial assistance could be provided to the affected people.