Lack of capital, marketing facilities hurting craftsmen

Lack of capital and marketing facilities is affecting handicraft production in Shariatpur district, where about 80,000 low-income people are engaged in making various household products and other such products as fishing traps, locally called ‘chai’ and ‘khadun’, baskets and hand fans.Fishermen catch fish during the rainy season in canals and rivers in the district. Those who do not find employment in their villages take to fishing as a source of earning to support their families. Likewise, small and the marginal farmers manufacture handicrafts when they have no work in the fields.Akkas Molla, Shahid Miah, Abdul Majid Gazi of Dubledia village under Janjira upazila said handicrafts were for them a source of income to support their families.Most of the landless and marginal farmers of Bilashpur, Kunderchar and Dubledia villages of Janjira upazila make 'chai' and 'khadun' with bamboo and folding hand fans with palm leaves and bamboo pieces when they have no agricultural work. During lean farming months, these farmers become part-time artisans.
But the poor artisans do not get a fair price for their products. Some unscrupulous middlemen exploit the situation to earn handsome profits for themselves and deprive the poor craftsmen of fair remunerations.
 Shariful Islam of Bilashpur village under Janjira upazila makes folding fans in his free time to add to his family income. He sells them at Tk. 500–TK. 1,000 per 100 pieces to middlemen. However, the fans are sold at Tk. 10–Tk. 15 a piece in the cities.Abdul Hai, Abul Paikar, Khaleque, Ashraf Ali, Narayn Master and Niranjan of Kunderchar village under Janjira upazila make chai and khadun, which are used for catching fish in the canals and rivers. They earn Tk. 20,000–25,000 a month by selling the products in the markets.Abdul Hai said proper training of rural craftsmen and availability of bank loan on easy terms would help improve the quality of their products.
The people of the district have asked for government measures to improve the lives of the artisans.

Lack of capital, marketing facilities hurting craftsmen

Lack of capital and marketing facilities is affecting handicraft production in Shariatpur district, where about 80,000 low-income people are engaged in making various household products and other such products as fishing traps, locally called chai and khadun, baskets and hand fans.Fishermen catch fish during the rainy season in canals and rivers in the district. Those who do not find employment in their villages take to fishing as a source of earning to support their families. Likewise, small and the marginal farmers manufacture handicrafts when they have no work in the fields.Akkas Molla, Shahid Miah, Abdul Majid Gazi of Dubledia village under Janjira upazila said handicrafts were for them a source of income to support their families.Most of the landless and marginal farmers of Bilashpur, Kunderchar and Dubledia villages of Janjira upazila make chai and khadun with bamboo and folding hand fans with palm leaves and bamboo pieces when they have no agricultural work. During lean farming months, these farmers become part-time artisans. But the poor artisans do not get a fair price for their products. Some unscrupulous middlemen exploit the situation to earn handsome profits for themselves and deprive the poor craftsmen of fair remunerations. Shariful Islam of Bilashpur village under Janjira upazila makes folding fans in his free time to add to his family income. He sells them at Tk. 500TK. 1,000 per 100 pieces to middlemen. However, the fans are sold at Tk. 10Tk. 15 a piece in the cities.Abdul Hai, Abul Paikar, Khaleque, Ashraf Ali, Narayn Master and Niranjan of Kunderchar village under Janjira upazila make chai and khadun, which are used for catching fish in the canals and rivers. They earn Tk. 20,00025,000 a month by selling the products in the markets.Abdul Hai said proper training of rural craftsmen and availability of bank loan on easy terms would help improve the quality of their products. The people of the district have asked for government measures to improve the lives of the artisans.