KAHAROLE, DINAJPUR, May 12: The market of bamboo-made household items has nosedived in Kaharole Upazila of the district in the face of easily accessible cheap priced plastic items.
According to field sources, makers of bamboo items can't stay in the market because of their reduced capacities.
Their production cost has increased for increased prices of bamboo, labour and necessary raw materials and working capital crisis.
Already, many who were previously living on this sector have become jobless. They are passing days in hardship.
This traditional cottage industry expanded in different areas in the upazila. Many people got their employment in different cottage units, involving thousands of people.
Bamboo cottage units are available in different villages like Ramchandrapur, Uchitpur, Maheshpur, Bhabanipur, Bhelua and Dabor unions. These were raised by Das Community people.
Once since the morning to evening, people of Das Community would carry out their bamboo items making, sitting on home yards and road sides.
They would make Chot, Chatai, Kula, Dala, Changari, Dali, Topa, fishing Kholsani, Mora, chicken cage and other household articles.
Along with men, women would also assist in making such things after finishing their cooking and daily household works. They would live on sales of these things in local haats and bazaars and by ferrying from village to village. They would also sell their items in different rural fairs.
And after meeting local demands, surplus articles would be sent to neighbouring upazila and district towns. While talking with this correspondent of The Daily Observer, a number of makers including Folin Boisha, Mithun Das, and Swapna Rani Boisha said, once there was huge demand of bamboo articles in village homes. But over the years, their markets have been occupied by plastic items.
Yet in order to keep their forefathers' profession, many still continue bamboo items making and marketing. Their market is now limited with few people who still prefer bamboo products.
Khir Mohan Das of Ramchandrapur Union said, "I have been doing this work for the last 50 years. Still I move from village to village carrying my bamboo items. Now I am old. I can't work like before."
According to knowledgeable quarters, existing families of this profession are trying heart and soul to protect the industry from unabated destruction.
