The traditional handloom industry of Alamdanga municipality area in Chuadanga is on the verge of extinction due to various obstacles, including a lack of capital, proper policies and repeated price hike of yarns and raw materials.
Most of the weavers and labourers involved in this occupation are becoming unemployed and switching to other occupations. Some of them are working as rickshaw pullers, van pullers, masons or assistant of a mason, while some others are working at grocery shops.
Only a handful of people in Ershadpur village of the area work in handloom industry now. The people who are still are with this industry are anxious about how long they will face losses in this three-generation-old profession handed down to them by their forefathers. Earlier, there were handlooms in every house of the area. However, only 40 to 50 families own handlooms now.
The modern electronic machineries for fabric production, difference in fashion, touch of modernity in clothing have outpaced the handloom industry. Only ‘gamcha’ (locally made towel) is made with these handlooms now. As the profit has decreased, none from the new generation wants to join this profession anymore. The guardians also do not want their children to get involved in this profession with uncertain future.
The weavers said that the handloom industry in Ershadpur was thriving even 25 years ago. The weaving houses used to become lively at the dawn with the sounds of the handlooms and the lobourers’ activities. However, many weavers are closing down their business of their forefathers due to the high price of yarn and lack of power looms. With the passage of time, they are on the verge of extinction as they could not compete with the modern machineries.
More than five hundred families of Ershadpur village were dependent on handloom industry before the Independence. Almost 5,000 labourers used to work there. Everyone used to wake up at dawn with the sound of handlooms. Ershadpur village used to be lively with the sound of the handloom labourers. However, there is not much sound there now. Most of those weaving rooms do not exist anymore. Earlier, the lungi, gamcha and towels produced there were renowned all over the country. There was a large wholesale market of hand-loomed clothes beside Alamdanga rail station. Besides, the hand-loomed lungi and gamcha of Ershadpur had high demand in Poradaha market in Kushtia and Shahjadpur market in Pabna.
When this correspondent visited the Tati Para, it was seen that a middle aged woman named Shanota Khatun was making gamcha with the handloom. She said she has a daughter and a son. This middle-aged woman who lost her husband makes gamcha with handloom when she gets time after doing the household chores all around the year to earn some extra cash.
Her neighbour Rahmat Ullah was also dependent on this occupation, but not anymore. When he was asked why he left this occupation, he said the weavers cannot make enough money to earn their livelihoods. If a handloom worker weaves a gamcha of two gauges, he will get Tk 30. If a labourer works with this wage, he will earn Tk 100 to Tk 150 if he works all day. No family can survive with this amount now. That’s why I left the occupation of my forefathers and switched to different occupation to meet my needs.
Another weaver Taslima Khatun said her husband Abdul Mannan became mason’s helper as there is no profit in this occupation. Sometimes I make four gamchas in a day during my household chores. I make a profit of Tk 60 in a day from this. I will also leave this work.
An 80-year-old weaver of the village, Abu Taher, said I used to run three handlooms by taking a loan of Tk 80,000 from Krishi Bank. The amount now stands at Tk 1,50,000 including the principal and the interest. I have closed the handlooms as there is no profit. Now, I am worried about paying the loan.
He said that at present, it is necessary to provide modern training to the labourers involved in this occupation, along with modern machineries and giving loans to the weavers on easy terms, to keep the handloom industry alive. If the government helps the weavers, they will be able to survive with their old occupation.
Weaver Atiar Rahman said he has been working in the handloom for 50 years. His three sons and a daughter have switched to other occupations as profit cannot be made by selling hand-loomed gamcha. He claimed that it will be possible to achieve the lost glory of this hundred-year-old traditional handloom industry if measures are taken to give loan to the weavers on easy terms and lessen the price of dye and yarn.
Weaver Popi Khatun said I had eight handlooms 30 years ago. We used to weave lungi and gamcha. A profit of Tk 800 to Tk 1,000 could be made every day at that time. However, not even a profit of Tk 100 can be made in a day now due to the increased price of yarn. As a result, I have kept only one handloom operational at present. As various products made by machines have come to the market, the demand of locally made clothes has dropped significantly.
Weaver Johura Khatun said our handloom industry is on the brink of extinction due to the modern machine-based industry. Now, it is the time of power looms. If the government arranges power looms for weavers by giving loans or incentives, this industry will regain its tradition.
Mohiuddin Bagu, a business leader of the weavers, said our handloom market is facing loss due to the modern clothing market. The local weavers make products with hands. If the government arranges interest-free bank loans for purchasing modern machines, the weavers will not have to change their profession. They will be able to recover and thrive once again if they get help from the government.
He also said a 10.5 bhori bundle of yarn used to be sold at Tk 400 ten years ago. Currently, it is being sold at Tk 1,500.
General Secretary of Alamdanga Central Yarn Cooperative Society Abu Musa said the price of yarn increased almost 35 times after the country became Independent. The production cost of gamcha increased as the price of other raw materials including dye and yarn increased as well. Although the people of all the other occupations got incentive and assistance during COVID-19 pandemic, the weavers were deprived of that. None asked about them when they were facing hardship.
President of Chuadanga Chamber of Commerce and Industries Yakub Hossen Malik said government and private incentives are needed to sustain the handloom industry now. However, the government needs to come forward first.
