JALDHAKA, NILPHAMARI, June 1: With the monsoon season approaching, boatmakers living along the banks of the Teesta River in Jaldhaka Upazila of Nilphamari are busy building and repairing boats as low-lying areas in the region are expected to be inundated once again.
Every year during the rainy season, floodwater engulfs char and riverside areas, making boats the primary means of transportation for residents. As a result, demand for boats rises sharply ahead of the monsoon, prompting a rush in both new boat construction and repair of old ones.
A visit to the Teesta riverbank areas of Shoulmari, Keemari, Dawabari and Golmunda unions showed workers and artisans engaged in repairing and building boats ahead of the seasonal flood.
Boatman Alam from Shoulmari Banpara Ghat said water levels in the Teesta remain low during the dry season, allowing him to repair old boats in preparation for the monsoon.
"I have already repaired three boats, including a large one, for the rainy season. Repairing a three-ton capacity boat now costs around Tk 10,000-15,000, while building a new one costs about Tk 70,000," he said.
He added that a 10-ton capacity boat costs over Tk 100,000 to build, while skilled labour has also become more expensive. Boat repair work is usually priced by hand measurement, with Tk 100 charged per hand. Repairing a large boat can cost Tk 25,000-30,000 in labour alone. Workers are often given advance payments for the next season as well.
Boat craftsman Rashidul Islam said boat building and repair is his ancestral profession, which he has been continuing for the past 20 years.
"Every season I build around 20 boats of different sizes. I also repair old boats. We are now in the final phase of boat repair work before the monsoon," he said.
He added that small boats take two to four days to build, while larger ones require 25-30 days. Timber such as akashmoni, mahogany, koroi and chamalish is commonly used.
He further said small boats cost Tk 10,000-12,000 to build, while larger boats cost Tk 25,000-30,000, and repair costs range between Tk 5,000 and Tk 15,000 depending on size.
Local Union Parishad Chairmen Sadekul Siddique Sadek of Keemari and Nuruzzaman of Shoulmari said boats remain the only means of transport for char dwellers during the monsoon.
They added that people living in the chars rely on fishing and agricultural labour during the dry season, while boats become essential for survival during floods.
