Editorial
Weaving industry in deep trouble
Concrete steps needed to save their trade
For a trade traditionally reputed for its products, these are not good times. We speak of the difficulties that weavers have been going through over the last several years. As a report in yesterday's issue of this newspaper makes it clear, as many as 50,000 handlooms have been forced into inactivity in Tangail owing to the economic problems that weavers face. Those problems centre around the abnormally high prices of the materials they need to produce their goods. Essentially, it has been high cost yarn and dye that have forced many weavers in Tangail off their trade.
In such places as Pabna and Sirajganj, the weaving industry has been badly affected by the floods, to a point where 100,000 weavers are now in grave difficulties as they have incurred losses to the tune of Tk. 62 crore. An immediate response from the authorities is therefore of paramount importance. In a condition where traditional trade is in many areas dying out or is being pushed out altogether (and here we note the predicament the jute sector finds itself in), it becomes critically important that the heritage yet in place be preserved. Some meaningful steps such as a rehabilitation of weavers who cannot reasonably go back to their profession must be taken. Then comes the matter of those weavers badly affected by the floods. Their hardship can be alleviated to some extent through arranging bank loans on easy terms for them. Let the modalities for such rehabilitation and loans be worked out by the authorities. Additionally, the allegations made about the existence of a syndicate responsible for the rise in prices of weaving-related material must be thoroughly investigated and the culprits brought to book. Again, the argument the aggrieved weavers have made in favour of import of yarn and dye makes sense as such a step will give them a chance to go back to their trade through not having to depend on local syndicates for the materials in question.
The demise of an industry, especially one that has played a vital role in the lives of those associated with it and with their customers, is the worst that can happen in an economy. Lest the weaving industry in Tangail, Pabna, Sirajganj and elsewhere wither away, let concrete action be taken to reverse the situation.
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