The cottage industries grew up on both sides of the river Sandha. While travelling by launch or other water transport, anyone can still observe lots of people's dependence on small industries. But its name and fame are on the wane. Now time has come to do something to bring back the lost glory of 200-year-old cottage industries of Sarupkathi.

Sarupkathi was named after Hindu Zaminder Sarup Dutt. It was learnt that backward Muslim community used to earn a living by pursuing various trades.

About 200 years back small and cottage industries grew here due to people's necessity and easy availability of raw materials. Gradually local products gained popularity. Over 500 cottage industries flourished in and around Sarupkathi municipality, Sutiakathi, Sarengkathi, Mahmudkathi, Sohagdal, Baldia, Aklam, Rajabari and Guarekha unions. Chocolate, handloom products, salt, cricket bat, coir, doll made of clay, bakery, textile, fried rice, poultry, poultry feed and products made of coconut fibres are produced here.

Half of the population of 140 villages in the upazila comprising an area of 71.67 square-miles are dependent on the cottage industries.

Female workers still dominate the cottage industries although most of them work at a nominal wage. Laizu who is in her late forties is such a worker. From her childhood days she saw her mother producing jute ropes and other products while her father selling those to buyers during weekly market days. Laizu informed that at present she produces the products and her son sells the products in markets. Sultana Begum, Awal Hossain and Siddique Mia also earn a living in the same manner.

Sultana of Aklam makes dolls from clay, while Awal Hossain of Nanduhar village builds boats and Siddique Mia of Razabari area prepares fried rice.

People have created their own culture sticking to their ancestral trades. New entrepreneurs have also come forward while some others changed their ancestral profession.

The then Pakistan government established the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) industrial estate on 24.74 acres of land at a cost of 52.88 lakh taka in 1961.

But local products failed to compete in an uneven competition of free market. This is because of age-old technology, scarcity of raw materials and lack of promotion of products, BSCIC official Majibur Rahman told this .

The age-old communication system is also a major obstacle in its development. Despite its bright prospect, the cottage industries have been facing ruination.

Time has come to take appropriate measures to develop the small and cottage industries. Will the government and other organisations come forward to protect the industry from total ruination?

--- Mass-line Feature.