Tangail sari industry must be saved

Famous for the high quality weaves that are part of our heritage, Tangail saris have earned quite the reputation over the years. Weavers produce saris of different types and qualities, such as cotton, Jamdani, silk, half-silk, Benarasi and so on, with prices ranging from Tk 300 to Tk 20,000. However, the pandemic has affected all businesses, big and small, across the country, and it has now brought Tangail's sari industry to its knees. Moreover, traditional sari weavers in the district were already going through difficult times as sales of saris dropped drastically in the last few years due to various reasons.

Major festivals like Eid, Puja and Pahela Baishakh are the times when demand for such saris peak. But due to the pandemic, several lakh saris that were produced last year have remained unsold. While most local factory owners were already deeply in debt, devastating and prolonged flooding during the July-September period badly damaged many factories. According to weavers, the number of the handlooms were around 75,000 and more than two lakh workers were engaged in the industry about a decade ago. Since then, the number of handlooms have decreased due to different reasons, including the declining demand for saris and an increase in the number of power looms. Other factors that contributed to the downfall include the price hike of raw materials, women's dwindling interest in local saris and the availability of imported saris. Unfortunately, many skilled weavers are now leaving this ancestral profession for other occupations.

While we appreciate the success of the government in implementing the various stimulus packages to tackle the pandemic, we must also mention here that not all sectors have received similar levels of attention. The government must find ways to support the industry during such crisis periods. The existing weaknesses need to be identified so that the government can make adjustments to the stimulus packages, implementation of which is lagging behind. The government can help the owners to settle their debts and give quickly delivered financial incentives to the weavers so that they can survive during these difficult times and also be persuaded to stay in the trade. It is a pity that such an important part of our heritage is on the verge of destruction and so little is being done. We must be committed to reviving this precious industry and preventing it from disappearing, along with the livelihoods of thousands of people.