Imitation jewellery makes a comeback in Jhenidah
Around 10,000 families in Moheshpur upazila of Khulna's Jhenaidah district are seeing better days as the local imitation or "city gold" jewellery industry has bounced back from a prolonged period of economic uncertainty due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The district's first factory making such products, called Milon City Gold, was established in Moheshpur back in 2004 and since then, its owner Rashedunnabi Milon has enjoyed much success.
The pandemic destroyed our plans but now we are progressing again since the lockdowns have ended.
The renowned factory directly employed about 600 workers between 2005 to 2017 and as these workers gradually gained experience in metalworking, they went on to set up their own factories across the region.
There are now 23 imitation jewellery factories in Moheshpur that produce earrings, necklaces, bangles, rings, bracelets and others.
Aminur Rahman, the owner of Amin City Gold Factory, said Moheshpur town was thriving thanks to the local imitation jewellery industry.
"We were passing happy days but the pandemic brought a swift end to this as production at all the factories nosedived due to the recurring lockdowns and other measures imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19," he added.
However, the industry has since started to recover from the pandemic-induced downturn thanks to the lifting of these restrictions, according to industry insiders.
Shahidul Islam, the owner of another factory in the upazila, told The Daily Star that he has been working in the industry for 12 years.
"This pandemic destroyed our plans and growth trajectory but now we are progressing again since the lockdowns have ended," he said.
Shima Khatun, a resident of Naudaga village under the municipality, said she worked at Milon City Gold for seven years.
Khatun would make imitation earrings at home and sell them to the factory for about Tk 6,000 per month during the pre-pandemic era but after the coronavirus began its rampage across the country, her income dropped to around Tk 3,500 per month.
Now though, her earnings have bounced back.
Similarly, housewife Rima Khatun of the same village said profits were poor amid the pandemic due to increased raw material costs but since the restrictions have since been called off, her business was recovering.
Shariul Islam, the owner of Etyadi store at Jalilpur bazar which sells raw materials for imitation jewellery, said prices had increased to a great extent due to the lockdown but were now on a downward trend.
Rashedunnabi Milon, also secretary to the local imitation jewellery makers' association, said it was a very profitable business up till the pandemic began in March 2020, when he reduced the number of workers at his factory to 200 due to decreased demand.
Business had fallen by about 70 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels as raw material prices had soared due to increased importing costs from India and China.
"Now our business is progressing day by day as lockdowns have been called off. At present, the business is operating at 70 per cent of previous levels," Milon added.