The potters are now conducting business by illegally occupying roadside spots and pavements. The makeshift arrangement is forcing them to keep wonderful works like flower-vases, sculptures, clay-ornaments etc. without protection under the open sky.

"During the rainy season we face major problems as we cannot protect the products from rainwater," said potter Rustom Sheikh in Dhanmondi.

Pottery has been an integral part of Bangalee culture for hundreds of years. It is now a popular component of interior decor world over and the change is felt locally too. Traditional handicrafts now adorn posh homes. This change is also bringing back the terracotta, which was on the verge of extinction. However, there has been little encouragement from the government's side to promote this art.

"Neither the government nor social group have done anything to provide the potters with a market place of their own," said Hanif Mandal, president, Dhaka Artisan of Pottery Association (DAPA).

But there are still reasons to remain positive. "The good days are back again," said Shekhar Paul, a potter in Gulshan. "The change you see these days began a few years ago. Rich people are now interested in decorating their homes with pottery " he added.

"Some potter families have migrated to India. Some changed their profession. Ten years ago, I also thought of becoming a rickshawpuller. But eventually I could not leave my ancestral occupation like many others in my community. We are artisans. Art is in our blood. It is not so easy to leave it," Shekhar said.

But like all others potters, Shekhar longs for a market where they can sell their stuff without thinking of the law. "We are doing business along footpaths. If we get a place to display and sell, pottery will surely become more popular not only at home but also abroad."

According to sources, high price of necessary raw materials like kiln, dice, dye, fuel and scarcity of capital have affected the industry adversely. Despite the optimism there is fear that without the intervention of the government, the artisan community might soon have no other alternative but to switch to other jobs for survival.

DAPA is asking to the department of co-operatives to allot a marketplace in Dhaka. "We have been requesting the department for a long time. We forwarded the latest letter last month and the department has once again assured us that it will locate a marketplace for us," said the DAPA president.