Home ›› 27 Aug 2021 ›› Nation
Over 2,500 jamdani weavers in Rupganj, Araihazar and Sonargaon in Narayanganj —the country’s biggest jamdani production and marketing hub — have plunged into a deep crisis for prolonged pandemic of Coivid-19.
Due to the persistence of the pandemic, demand for jamdani went down to an unbelievable level, and the weavers and their families are suffering financially. Besides, a lack of marketing facilities, government support and easy access to finance has deepened their woes in the face of extended lockdowns to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Hundreds of looms in Noapara, Jampur, Sadipur, Kanchpur, Rupshi, Barabo, Baradi, Borgaon, Kazipara, Baradi and Borgaon under Rupganj, Araihazar and Sonagaon upazilas now sit idle
The artisans now worry of the fate of their families in the coming days as they have missed a huge sales season like the Pahela Baishakh, two Eids and other festivals in the past two years.
National award-winning jamdani artisan Shah Alam told The Business Post that they used to make a sale worth Tk 35 crore each year before the pandemic. But for the last five months, the situation has drastically changed for them.
He said: “During the last two years, many artisans, weavers could not survive the blow of Covid-19 and left weaving Jamdani.”
“We used to export our Jamdani sarees to India and other countries after meeting the local demand. But now we have to sell our sarees at much lower prices for the sake of our survival,” he added.
Abdul Jabbar, another award-winning artisan of the area, told The Business Post that Jamdani weaving requires immense hard work and intricate techniques, which can only be acquired through ancestry and dedication.
“It is very unfortunate that the artisans had to leave their ancestral profession for the sake of their survival. I am requesting the government to allocate incentives, loans and cash assistance to the artisans so that they can continue making Jamdani sarees,” he said.
Ibrahim Hossain, a Jamdani trader, who left his business amid the pandemic, told The Business Post:” The Bangladesh Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation have closed down amid the pandemic and I was left jobless. I have picked up seasonal fruit business instead to support my family.”
Vice President of Bangladesh Weavers Products and Manufacturers Business Association, Md Osman Ghani, said that Bangladesh’s UNESCO acclaimed Jamdani industry has faced a blow amid the pandemic.
“Due to the severe disruptions in the business, many artisans are leaving their craft, and the rest of them had used up the last of their capitals, which is very unfortunate.”
“Now, as they have no money to invest, they are not able to resume working on their looms. In this circumstance, if the government does not intervene to protect these artisans, we will soon lose one of our precious national treasures,” added the official.
Deputy Commissioner of Narayanganj, Mustain Billah, told The Business Post that no weavers, artisans came to them for any assistance yet, but if they do, they will indeed arrange loans, incentives and cash assistance for the struggling craftsmen.
