Wangala, a shop in the town, showcases traditional indigenous handicrafts. Located at the compound of CARITAS Regional Office of Mymensingh town, Wangala collects handicrafts mainly produced by the indigenous people in greater Mymensingh.

Established in 1998, the shop was named Wangala, after one of the greatest festivals of indigenous Garo people marking the advent of the harvesting season.

Wangala collects its traditional indigenous products from different areas of Mymensingh, Sherpur, Netrokona, Jamalpur and Tangail district.

There are four Mobile Technical Schools in Dhanbari of Tangail, Nalitabari in Sherpur and Phulpur in Mymensingh where underprivileged children are given practical training on producing handicrafts.

The handicrafts displayed at the shop include dakmandha (a piece of cloth worn by female members during dance sequences), dakshari (normal dakmandha), thami and gena (worn by male members).

The sale is reasonable and escalates at traditional festivals of the indigenous people, including World Indigenous Day, said Parveen Akhtar, manager of Wangala. The

shop represents both traditional dresses of indigenous and Bengali people, said Parveen, pointing out that there is a reasonable regular clientele and foreign visitors too come to the outlet.

Theophil Nokrek, CARITAS regional director, told this corre-

spondent that Wangala was established with a view to promoting indigenous handicrafts, especially among the young indigenous people. The activities of Wangala should be expanded to develop the entrepreneurship of the indigenous people, he said adding that the

Bengali community are also benefiting from the production of traditional handicrafts in many places of the region.

Indigenous handicrafts are much in demand both within and outside the country, informed the director.