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Making bats for a living

Hitting poverty out of sight

AZIBOR RAHMAN, Ihenidah
In remote areas of Jhenidah, nine lower caste families are producing and distributing cricket bats and stumps to different parts of Bangladesh to make a living. While talking to the Daily Star, Abdul Aziz, coordinator of RHECO (Rural Health Education and Credit Organisation), informed that nine families are involved in the trade. The cricket materials are in great demand here as cricket is a popular game. Traders of nearby districts throng here to collect cricket bats and stumps from the village.
The heads of the nine families of Shalkupa village are Kishor Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Poritosh Kumar, Prashad Kumar, Porimol Kumar, Krishna Kumar Dipok Kumar, Prodip Majumdar and Shankor Majumdar. They all are cousins and live side by side. While visiting the village Shalkupa under Kotchandpur upazila of the district this correspondent found a huge number of bats, stumps and other materials stacked in the houses and sheds. Some are busy painting, some are busy refining and some are busy processing the timber. These sports materials make way to different districts of the country. Rawshan Ali, a trader of Gulistan Dhaka, carry the produce to the capital.
Proshad Kumar, who first introduced the concept of producing cricket bats in the village, told this correspondent that while playing cricket with his play mates in the village playground the bat broke down. He was not in a position to buy another bat with which he could play. He collected timber from Jibon tree and tried to make a bat. He succeeded, although the finished product was missing a refined look. Later on,
ever a bat got cracked he made another one. This is how he started to make bats. He started producing them for his friends in exchange for little wages. As its demand increased, he set up different bat making equipment in his house in 2003.
Proshad added that he buys per piece of timber at Tk 50. A single bat costs Tk 10 while he sells per piece at Tk 150. A factory can make 50 bats everyday while nine factories provide at around 300 bats. Nowadays, the price of timber is very high. They have no big capital to expand their business. A local NGO RHECO has been helpful in extending financial help on monthly installments. Ashraf Uddin, Director of RHECO informed that they sanction loans for facilitating these businesses as it is profitable and an uncommon trade in this region.
Another bat maker, Shankor Majumdar told that he had been making bats and stumps for 8 years. They collect Shishu Kat
(timber) to make stumps. Each stump costs Tk 25 while it is sold at Tk 35 per piece. They get Tk 300/400 profit by selling bats and stamps. Now, unemployed young men from neighboring villages throng his factory and take training to become self-dependent. In making bats and stamp, the only ingredients needed are glue, nails, and stickers, along with Jibon and Shishu Kat. According to Neamot Ali of Kushtia, a wholesale trader, they buy hundreds of bats and stumps from Shalkupa village and provide it to different shops of the town. The bats of Shalkupa are in great demand because its quality is good.
Safdarpur union panel chairman Wahed Ali said that the families of Shalkupa village who make bats and stumps earn a good amount by providing it to different districts of the country. They could expand their trade if they are given loans on easy terms.