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Handloom weavers in Sirajganj trying to turn around

Published : Thursday, 4 April, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 189
Ashok Benarjee
SIRAJGANJ, Apr 3: Handloom weavers in the district are trying to turn around centring the Eid and Pahela Baishakh festivals.

Weavers suffered huge losses amid Covid-19 pandemic, Ukraine war and other problems.
    
At present, working activities in handloom villages have gained momentum.   

According to Census-2003, there are 14,870 weaving families in Sirajganj while the number of looms is over 1.35 lakh. And yearly about 23 crore metres of clothes are produced.

Handloom villages are located in Sadar Upazila, Belkuchi, Enayetpur, Shahzadpur, Ullapara and Chouhali upazilas.

With changing time, modernity has touched loom factories in these upazilas. Along with hand-run looms, machine-run looms are making rich quality Saree, Lungi, Gamcha and Three Pieces.  

Unofficially, there are at least four lakh looms (handloom, powerloom), engaging about 10 lakh people directly or indirectly.

These looms are manufacturing Jamdani, Suti Jamdani, Katan, Suti Katan, Silk, Benarasi and other sarees.

Besides, yearly about 40 crore metre of cloths including Lungi, Gamcha and Three Pieces are produced.

Loom owners said, per piece Saree is selling at Tk 300 to 15,000; Lungi at Tk 200-3,000, and Gamcha at Tk 40 to 300 at the wholesale rate.

The handloom industry has been declared branding. It has been named Tantkunja Sirajganj.

But loom owners are not benefitted due to increasing making cost as dye and yarn prices have gone up.

Both male and female labourers are working in factories.

Labourer Abdul Jalil and others of Kadai Village in Sadar Upazila said, ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr and Pahela Baishakh, their work pressure has increased; they are now working for 12-14 hours against usual 7-8 hours; they are getting extra income.  
 
Asma Khatun and Soheli Khatun of Baitara Village in the Sadar Upazila said, "We are doing extra work. Loom owners are running factories for extra time. Our incomes are increasing."

A loom owner of the village Alamgir Hossain said, they are passing a hard time; prices of different raw materials have increased abnormally; Sarees are selling at very nominal prices; known companies selling these sarees at several times of profits.

 "But we are not getting fair prices. We are counting losses," he added.

He further said, the government should see the matter with importance.

Proprietor of Swan Lungi in  Khukni Village in Shahzadpur Upazila Babu Sarkar said, large loom owners are staying somehow, but medium and small ones are facing very bad time.

"Our Lungis are exported to Dubai, Saudi Arabia and other countries. But government is not making much patronisation," he added.

Baidda Nath Ray, owner of Belkuchi Joti Sari Ghor and former general secretary of Bangladesh Powerloom and Handloom Owners Association, said, markets of raw materials and equipment are not under control; syndicates are increasing prices of dye and yarn wilfully, harming the loom owners.
 
It needs government patronisation to protect the industry, he added.

"We hope bazaars will turn good despite many adversities. Loom owners can stand around a bit,"
Liaison Officer of Shahzadpur Handloom Board Jehedur Rahman said, weavers are given training in order to develop their socio-economic condition; loom owners are given small loan.

"We hope they will be benefitted after overcoming dull businesses," the official maintained.



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