Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, the blacksmiths of eight upazilas of Jashore district are extremely busy making and sharpening knives, machetes and choppers for cutting and slicing the flesh of sacrificial animals.

Sudhir, Bipro, Ronojit and Kamruzzaman of Jashore Bazar disclosed that it is only at this time of the year that demand for their products spurts, centred as it is on Eid-ul-Azha. At other times, they make household and agricultural appliances like the chopper, axe, knife, crowbar, chisel, hammer, saw, spade, cleaver, yoke, shovel, blade, hook, mallet, punch, nail, hoe, sickle, pick-axe and others in keeping with public demand.

They also told this correspondent that they expected the highest sale of their products during Eid-ul-Azha.

"Bank loan on easy terms may help us to make more products. We made brisk business last year and earned Tk. 5,000–6,000 every day. But the demand for our products is yet to touch the highest point this year—we're earning only Tk. 2,000–3,000 a day. We are selling sharp knives for slaughtering animals for Tk. 500 each and small knives can be found for Tk. 100–150 each," said Sudhir, who was found hard at work at Karmakar Pally in Jashore town.

Our Jhenaidah correspondent adds: Over 500 blacksmiths of six upazilas here are now very busy making knives, machetes and choppers.

Local blacksmiths said their profession was very profitable even three to four decades ago. At that time, there was widespread demand for iron- and steel-made tools. But the situation has changed and they hardly make any profits these days.

Pallav Kumar, a blacksmith of Shailkupa upazila, said their daily income amounted to Tk. 150–250 a day at other times of the year. "But we make good money ahead of Eid-ul Azha," he added.

Srikanto Kumar, 60, a blacksmith of Jhenidah Notun Haat Khola, lamented that with the introduction of mechanised appliances, all types are traditional tools had fallen into disuse.

According to the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), there were over 500 blacksmiths in the district even 20-25 years ago, but now their number has come down to around 300 at present. There are two types of blacksmiths in Jhenaidah: professional and seasonal blacksmiths.

Professional blacksmiths work throughout the year, while seasonal blacksmiths perform their businesses only before the Eid-Ul-Azha.