More exposure for local handicrafts
It is encouraging to find that handicrafts produced in Bangladesh are getting noticed in a wide international market with earnings reaching $ 8. 86 million in 2018-2019, that is a 49.41 per cent growth from last year. In the past, the main demand was for jute made products, though currently, terracotta items top the export list. This is because in the West, there has been a renewed interest in clay items plus products that have been made without causing any harm to ecology.
The South Asian ethnic look craze has spread from attire to home and office decoration and therefore, this is a boon for our local industries since Bangladesh has been exporting such items for four decades. The reason for the boost in handicrafts is due to government policy plus single digit interest rate provided by the Small and Medium Enterprise, (SME) Foundation. Consequently, 50-70 lakh people are now engaged in this industry. While the market for handicrafts is increasing overseas, local initiatives are not sufficient to promote our own products for buyers in the country.
A few years ago, a handicraft based retail chain shop was forced to shut down faced with mounting losses and falling sales. This is indeed disheartening. Over the last decade, several such operations were closed down in the face of financial difficulties. Keeping the sustenance of the industry in mind, there has to be a mechanism to save such enterprises either with government incentives or with support from development agencies because most handicraft industries are powered by rural communities.
A failing handicraft shop means poverty plus hardship for such people and hence, development agencies can easily come to their rescue on the justified premise of safeguarding rural peoples lives. The SME Foundation offers loans though it can also provide valuable counsel to handicraft making industries on how to make them viable and withstand the turbulence created by unpredictable market trends.
Cane furniture is very popular in the USA but surprisingly, within middle class Bangladesh, cane items are still deemed as inferior and often jeered at. Such denigration is shameful. Cane furniture usage has to be encouraged with exhibitions held all over the country. Winter can be the perfect time to arrange handicrafts or cane item fairs within the university campus since this area is used for a variety of exhibitions between November and February. The local handicrafts association may also look to take the support of our embassies abroad to organise shows.
