TANGAIL, Dec 31 : Porabari in Tangail is famous for sweets. The name and fame of ChumChum of Porabari is well-known to all.

Porabari is a small union which is only four kilometres away from the district headquarters. It is situated beside the small River Dholeswari.

During the British period there was a steamer ghat here which was founded for the purpose of promotion of trade and commerce. A large number of people used to visit Porabari for business purpose from different parts of the country and even from India. Ultimately the sweets of Porabari, specially its 'Chum-Chum' gained popularity in the sub-continent.

Nobody can tell precisely the name of the person who introduced 'chum-chum' here for the first time.

But accordingly to elderly people, Dasrat Gour a renowned 'chum-chum' trader first begun his trade of sweets at Porabari.

Seventy-six-year old Kala Gour, another bonafide 'chumchum' trader said that he had

begun this trade in the beginning of the 19th century. At that time all the ingredients for producing 'chum-chum' such as milk, sugar and other things were cheaper and were easily available. But now-a-days these ingredients have become dearer. So the prices of 'chum-chum' have also increased. Now one kg of 'chum- chum', is being sold at the rate of Taka 80, he said.

Besides, there had been 70 sweetmeat shops in Tangail town in 1960. The area is still known "misti patti".

When contacted with a 'chumchum' trader named Gourango Chandra Karmakar he said that still many people from different parts of the country come to Porabari to buy 'chum-chum' every day. "Besides, we supply 'chum-chum' to various parts of the country, he added.

But with the passage of the time 'chum- chum' of Porabari has been losing its charm and glory. Because the swwet producers have been facing various problems now. They need capital and pure sweet producing ingredients at cheaper rate.

In the beginning of sweetmeat trade, about 60 families including 400 people who had been engaged in this profession. But at present only four families have been engaged in this trade.

A local 'chum-chum' trader of Porabari said "we have no capital. We are unable to maintain our trade," he added. Besides, the menace of extortion has been hampering the trade a lot, he added further. For this reason many local 'chum-chum' traders have been deserting this profession. Besides, many workers are continuing their service in exchange of inadequate salary.

The 'chum-chum' traders of Porabari have urged the government to patronise the traders by giving loans on easy terms and conditions.

They also urged the government to check the activities of illegal extortionists and create a congenial atmosphere of trade and commerce here. In case of failure the famous 'chum-chum' of Porabari would ultimately vanish, traders apprehended this.