The handloom business in Tangail, the most prominent base of the traditional craft in the country, is facing a loss of around Tk50 crore because of the current political state.
Sales have dropped alarmingly since the BNP-led 20-party alliance enforced hartal and blockade, which had directly affected the production of handloom saris, claimed many loom owners as well as weavers.
There are around 60,000 handlooms in Tangail handloom locality, according to a 2013 census. Sources said around 325,000 people – weavers and businessmen – are dependent on the handloom industry here for their livelihood.
Under normal circumstances, business is good all year round with a boost in sales during major festivals such as Eid and puja. “We usually sell around 1,000 pieces of sari per week,” said Raghunath Bashak, proprietor of handloom shop Jaggeshwar and Co and convener of Tangail Handloom Sari Traders’ Association.
“But due to the political unrest, we have been able to sell only 400 pieces in February. Export of our saris to India has almost stopped, resulting in a decline in foreign currency earnings as well,” he told the Dhaka Tribune on Sunday.
Sukumar Bashak, owner of Pathrail Sari House in Tangail’s Pathrail union, said: “The business is taking a bad hit due to this situation. Our wholesale clients from around the country cannot come to buy saris. A few clients have asked us to send the product to them via courier, but we do not want to take the risk given the petrol bomb ambushes on the highways.”
Production has naturally dropped since there has been no sales, which has put the weavers out of job and in a financial crisis.
Khokon Bashak, Raghunath’s son, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Unemployment has increased exponentially as many looms have shut down for now. This has never happened here before.”
Nimai Chandra Das, loom owner based in Pathrail, said : “I have not been able to sell my saris at the shops because they have not been able to sell their stock. I am facing a lot of trouble since business in such a bad shape.”
Another loom owner, Md Azahar Miah, from Bishnapur village, said he had to shut down half of his looms. “I had to take a loan in order to keep eight of my 16 looms running. If the situation does not change, I will have to shut down all of them.”