Monsoon fuels boom in traditional boat making at Chalan Beel

GURUDASPUR, NATORE, Aug 7: As monsoon rains refill the rivers, canals and wetlands of Chalan Beel, traditional wooden dinghies (small boat) are once again becoming an essential part of daily life in the vast wetland region.

With water levels rising and some low-lying areas already inundated, boats have emerged as the main means of transport in many villages. The start of the fishing season in newly flooded waters has also increased the use of dinghies for livelihoods, creating a surge in demand across the Chalan Beel area.

Boat-making workshops in Gurudaspur and Singra of Natore, Tarash of Sirajganj and Chatmohar of Pabna have become busy producing wooden dinghies. Gurudaspur has long been known as one of the region's major boat-building centres.

Local traders say the upazila now has around 15 to 20 boat-making workshops, benefiting from easy access to timber and its strategic location in the wetland zone. A large boat market is held every Tuesday and Saturday at Chanchkoir Haat in the municipal area, where buyers from surrounding upazilas come to purchase boats.

A visit to several workshops showed carpenters working at full capacity. Dinghies are being made from shimul, mahogany, jackfruit, mango, banyan and neem wood. Some workers were cutting timber, others hammering nails, while others were fitting metal sheets to the bottom of the boats.

Finished boats are lined up along the roadside for customers to inspect and negotiate prices. Depending on size and quality, a wooden dinghy sells for Tk 6,000-7,000, while boats fitted with metal-sheet bottoms are selling for Tk 8,000-12,000.

Workshop owners Shamim, Iyarul, Jahangir Hossain and Abdur Razzak said the prices of timber, iron and labour had all increased, reducing profit margins, but production continued because of strong demand.

Carpenters Afzal and Sharif said demand had been low last year when water levels in Chalan Beel were lower. This season, however, they are building up to two boats a day and earning Tk 1,000 per boat.

Buyers Asad Majhi from Tarash and Dedar Fakir from Chatmohar said they had come to purchase new dinghies to catch fish during the monsoon, when many people across Chalan Beel depend on fishing to support their families.

Shamim, President of the Gurudaspur Furniture Traders' Association, said the local market is known for quality timber and skilled craftsmen. A market fee of Tk 200 is charged per boat, and the association oversees the market to maintain order.