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Poor Eid sales worry northern weavers

Ahmed Humayun Kabir Topu, Back from Shahzadpur, Sirajganj
MORE than three lakh handlooms in 10 upazilas of Pabna and Sirajganj are abuzz with activities targeting sales during this Eid season.
But the weavers in the major handloom clothing zone of the country are worried about low sales even in this peak shopping season.
“I sold around 80 saris in the last two days although the number was more than 200 on every market day during last Ramadan,” said Md Habil Uddin, a marginal weaver at Norina village of Sirajganj.
Habil Uddin is not alone. Many other weavers of Shahzadpur, Ullahpara, Chowhali, Kazipur, Belkuchi, Sirajganj Sadar, Bera, San thia, Sujanagar and Pabna Sadar are facing the same situation.
“I produce at least 400 saris everyday with 40 looms in my factory. Although this is the peak season, 150-200 saris remain unsold everyday due to a poor demand,” said Haji Badsha Miah, a weaver at Dogasi village in Pabna Sadar.
Md Haidar Ali, vice president of Bangladesh Handloom and Power loom Owners' Association, said there are more than three lakh handlooms in Sirajganj and Pabna.
“Of the total 3.5 lakh looms in nine
upazilas of Sirajganj, 2.5 lakh are in operation. And only half of the one lakh handlooms in Pabna are active this year," Ali said.
"At least 70 percent of the total demand for handloom clothes is met by the weavers in Sirajganj and Pabna,” he added.
Ali said exports of handloom clothes to India fell sharply this year, creating a supply glut in the local market.
“At least 40 percent of the total clothes produced in the Sirajganj-Pabna zone used to go to India every year. But this year, exports declined due to the recent appreciation of the taka," he said.
"We exported only 10-15 percent this year,” Ali added.
Shahzadpur Tant Kaporer Haat, the biggest wholesale market of handloom products in the country, looks busy ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, but weavers were worried about sales.
The weavers blamed economic hardship of the middle and low-income people for the bleak sales.
According to the association, there are more than 200 big wholesale shops inside the Shahzadpur market and more than 15,000 weavers of the northern districts trade in this market.
“Last year I sold 200-300 saris on every market day during Ramadan. But this year I am selling only 80-100 pieces," said Md Alauddin, another marginal weaver at Monirampur village who came to the Shahzadpur market to sell his clothes.
The weavers said Eid is the biggest season for them and they make and store handloom saris across the year to sell those before Eid as around half of the total yearly sales come during this season.
But, due to the current slump, they will miss their targets this year.
The weavers also said the turnout of buyers in the Shahzadpur market was huge in the previous years, but the situation is quite disappointing this year, as even the market days look somewhat calm.
This slump in sales could affect the sustainability of the industry, they said.
“Although handloom products worth Tk
200 crore were sold last Ramadan, the sales this year have not crossed 80 crores yet. This is the biggest ever fall in the last 10 years,” said Md Almas Ansari, president of Shahzadpur Handloom Traders' Association.
He said sales may improve after the 15th of Ramadan, but that would not help recoup the losses.
“The price of paddy was low this year, affecting the incomes of the middle- and low-income people," Ansari said.
An increased flow of Indian clothes in the Shahzadpur wholesale market also caused the dip in sales of the local handloom products, he added.