Patuakhali potters make Tk 1cr Pahela Baishakh sale
Some of the products were shipped abroad as well
A cluster of potters in Patuakhali's Bauphal upazila, some 240 kilometres south of capital Dhaka, say they have made sales of around Tk 1 crore of earthen products, including some abroad, centring Pahela Baishakh.
The first day of the Bangla calendar is being celebrated around the country today.
About 1,000 potters of four villages of Kankadia, Boga, Madanpur and Bilbilas are engaged in the profession under seven to eight craftspeople and traders, creating various household and decorative items and earthenware.
Making the products out of a specific type of soil called "etel" in Bangla, the artisans usually split up in groups, some moulding them, some painting, some dry them out in the sun and some packing it.
In keeping with the needs of the times, the Pal or potter community has brought many variations to products over the past 50 years or so. One of the pioneers, Barun Pal, said he has been involved for generations.
Initially, pottery, pitchers and toys were made but now the types of products have expanded to various types of decorative items, dinner sets, cups and others, based on customers' aesthetic needs.
Dinner sets are sought after the most, with a 16-piece set selling anywhere from Tk 2,000 to Tk 3,500, he said.
Various renowned companies and brands of the country collect products made in the villages and market them nationwide, said Pal.
Prior to the pandemic, foreign buyers from countries including the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Dubai used to go to the villages to make purchases of their choice, he said.
Though the arrival of foreigners has reduced, some expatriate Bangladeshis are taking the products from there and selling them in other countries, said Pal.
Pal said he recently exported a container full of earthen goods worth Tk 10 lakh to Saudi Arabia.
His peer, Shishir Pal, said there was nationwide demand for the products produced there, especially for sale in fairs marking Pahela Baisakh. "We have made profits this time," he said.
Another businessman, Gobinda Pal, said as sunny weather was especially necessary for this industry and the production usually remains high during the summer whereas rains slightly disrupt the process.
However, there has been a dearth of transportation for most trucks currently being engaged in transporting watermelon, a fruit the district is renowned for producing.
Earlier, hiring a truck to transport goods from Patuakhali to Dhaka would cost Tk 10,000 to Tk 12,0000 but now it has gone up to Tk 15,000 to Tk 16,000.
Bindu Pal, another pottery trader, said the industry could be further developed if bank loans and ancillary facilities were ensured on easy terms.