The once famous and traditional handloom weaving industry of Ershadpur village in Alamdanga municipal area of Chuadanga district is on the verge of extinction due to lack of necessary patronage and capital, lack of proper policies, increase in prices of yarn and raw materials from time to time.
Most of the weavers involved in this industry have either become unemployed or engaged in other occupations. Some of them have chosen jobs as rickshaw-van drivers, some as masons, some as masons' assistants and some as employees of grocery stores.
As the profits go down and the industry collapses, the younger generation of the weavers no longer wants to enter the weaving profession. Parents also do not want their children to be involved in this traditional profession with the glare of an uncertain future.
Now only a handful of people are working as weavers in Ershadpur village. The people who are still holding on to this industry are counting the days, worrying about how long they will have to count losses staying in their ancestral profession. Earlier, there were looms in every house of the area but now only 40-50 families have looms.
The electric modern machinery for making textiles, the difference in fashion and the touch of modernity in the garment industry has made the handloom weaving. All these handlooms now make only local towels known as Gamcha.
The weavers say that even twenty-five years ago, the weaving industry in Ershadpur village was booming. In the morning, the looms of the weavers were filled with the noise of the workers. However, now the price of yarn is high and there is no electric loom, so the business of their ancestors has to be closed down. Unable to keep up with modern machinery in the evolution of time, today they are on the verge of extinction.
Before independence, more than 500 families of Ershadpur village were dependent on weaving industry. About 5,000 workers were employed here directly and indirectly. Everybody would wake up in the morning with the sound of birds’ chirping. The village of Ershadpur used to be full of weavers. Now, most of those bustling loom houses are no more to be found. Pin drop silence is now prevalent in the few loom houses that are still standing.
Earlier, the fame of Lungi and towels made here was all over the country. Next to the Alamdanga railway station was a large market of woven cloth. Besides, Poradaha of Kushtia and Shahjadpur Hat of Pabna were occupied by Ershadpur weaver's Lungi and towel. At present the situation in Ershadpur is totally opposite. Now some people are just making towels and somehow keeping the profession of their ancestors alive. The weavers further said that the cost of production of weaving cloth has gone up due to increase in prices of raw materials, dyes, chemicals and yarn but the price of woven cloth did not increase compared to that. On the other hand, the demand for home-made cloth has come down due to the introduction of various machine-made products in the market. Prices have also come down a lot.
For this reason, many people have sold their looms at low prices. Many have left their loom at a corner of their yards. The wood looms of the house are now lying on the ground. It has become a burden to find any artisans and weavers involved in the weaving industry. The weavers demanded close attention of the government to protect their heritage and industry.
Visiting Ershadpur village, the correspondent saw spider's web stuck on the broken looms. It can be seen that no worker has been sitting on the loom for many days. Local loom houses are no longer as busy as before. Everywhere, there is a prevalent silence.
Occasionally a few loom mills run, but their looms do not resonate as before. The knocking sound of the loom is no longer heard as before. Suddenly the sound of a loom was heard in a house. Inside the house, a middle-aged housewife was seen making towels on a loom. Her name was Shantana Khatun. She is the wife of the late Matiar Rahman of that village. He said he has a son and a daughter. This middle-aged woman, who has lost her husband, weaves towels all year round to earn some money in her spare time.
Rahmat Ullah who lives next door was also dependent on this profession. At present he has given up this profession.
He said, “Weavers no longer make profit in this profession. If a worker weaves a two-yard towel, he will get a wage of Tk 30. If you work all day at this price, the price of a worker is about Tk 100 to 150. At present no family can survive with it. That's why I left this profession”.
Abu Taher, a 80-year-old weaver from the village, said he used to run three looms with a loan of Tk 70,000 from the Krishi Bank. At present, the loan stands at Tk 1.5 lakh. “I closed the loom because there was no profit. Now I am very worried about repaying the loan. He said that in order to sustain the weaving industry, it is necessary to provide modern training to the workers engaged in this work, modern machinery and loans to the weavers on easy terms. If the government is sincere in this regard, weavers will be able to survive with their past profession”.
Abu Musa, GS of Alamdanga Central Fiber Cooperative Society, said the price of yarn has increased about 35 times since the country's independence. The cost of production of towels has gone up due to increase in prices of dyes, yarns and other raw materials. All the weaving industries are slowly closing down due to non-profit.
If we want to save this industry now, we need government patronage. Besides, people of all other professions get various incentives and support during corona period but the weavers here are deprived of it. They spent time without eating but no one looked out for them, he added.
Chuadanga Deputy Commissioner Md Nazrul Islam Sarkar said the Alamdanga Upazila Nirbahi Officer has been sent to the spot to inspect the situation there and to help the weavers.
