Home ›› 17 Apr 2023 ›› Nation
Although the artisans of Jamdani Palli of Narayanganj are busy ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, the traders are lacking in sales.
While the artisans are busy running the looms ignoring the heat, traders allege that sales have declined more than usual even though the festival is right around the corner.
According to shop owners, they are not getting the expected number of buyers during the current season. Sales usually pick up ahead of festivals like Eid or Pahela Baishakh but this year the tables have turned.
Narayanganj’s Jamdani Palli, established by Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) over two decades ago, is located along the banks of the Shitalakkhya River in Rupganj upazila, just 30 km away from Dhaka.
Bayezid Hossain, Jamdani Industrial City official of BSCIC, said there are 407 plots in the entire industrial city.
“There are at least four looms per plot. At least 1,600 weavers regularly make Jamdani sarees here. Every week a market is organised in the village on Friday morning where a large number of buyers and sellers gather,” he said.
Selim Hossain has 11 looms in plot 33 of the second street of Jamdani Palli.
“I was also an artisan once, but now I employ people under me to make sarees. Sarees made in my shop sell all over the country,” he said.
Kishoreganj’s Md Alamgir, a 29-year-old artisan working at Selim’s weaving shop, said he started making sarees at the age of 10. His brothers are also involved in the same profession.
“We are busy weaving sarees all year round regardless of any festivals. Other than one lunch break a day, we loom continuously from 7am to 9pm,” he said.
Alamgir also added that he gets a weekly pay of Tk 6,000. “The wage is comparatively low, but I do not change my profession since this is the only thing I learned to do.”
This correspondent learned from the weavers and traders that the quality and price of Jamdani are determined according to the thread count. The higher the count, the finer the yarn and the higher the saree price made from that yarn.
Jamdani of 30 to 100 counts is made in this village. Apart from sarees, men's punjabi and women's salwar-kameez are also made and sold here.
A veteran artisan named Md Shahjahan was weaving a 100-count yarn saree in Ayub Ali's loom. He said, “It takes from a week to a year to weave sarees depending on many variables. It takes at least one month to weave a 100-count saree.”
He added that since they have orders from shops throughout the year, the weavers work all year round without any rest.
Although the artisans are busy, the scenery at the Jamdani Palli shops is completely different.
According to the sellers, even though two of the biggest festivals for the people of this country are this month, sales had not been as expected. Rather, they claim that the sales are less than average compared to the rest of the year.
The businessmen are baffled at this situation and could not comprehend why the sales are declining.
However, according to related sources, the rising prices of daily necessities and the cost of living might be responsible for the gradually declining sales as Jamdani clothes are considered luxury goods by mid-income people.
Ali Azgar, the owner of Haji Ali Azgar Weaving Factory, said, “The business has been down since the beginning of Ramadan. Many lost their products in the Bangabazar fire recently, and while we have goods, there is no sale.”
He added that business had never been this down before Eid-ul-Fitr. Even during the pandemic, the business was booming.
Safwan Jamdani Weaving Factory’s owner Md Shaheen claimed the same. He owns 12 looms and also buys sarees from other weavers. He sells sarees from Tk 4,000 to Tk 1,50,000.
“On average, I sell saree worth Tk 15 lakh monthly. But that increases to Tk 25 lakh before Eid. But this year during Ramadan I have only made sales worth Tk seven lakh,” he added.
Shaheen further added, “Expenses have increased for many. So maybe they are refraining from buying fancy things like Jamdani clothes. There are still a few days left before Eid. I hope sales will increase.”
Apart from his shop in Jamdani Palli, businessman Aminul Islam Robin also sells sarees online. According to him, sales are low in both virtual and physical shops.
Robin said, “Jamdani sarees have become a luxury item for people now. However, I do not understand why the rich are not interested in buying sarees anymore. Maybe they have also been affected by the inflation.”
However, according to weaver Salim Hossain, only the retail sellers of Jamdani Palli are seeing a shortage of customers. The wholesale traders have regular bulk orders throughout the year.
Bayezid Hossain, a Jamdani industrial city official of BSCIC said, “The global economy is in a fragile state due to various reasons. It is also affecting trade in our country. Because of this, sales may be slightly lower.”
He added that BSCIC is working on the development of jamdani and jamdani artisans.