3500 jewellery shop workers jobless in Jhenidah
A jeweller at a shop in Kaliganj upazila gives a bleak look as the shop, like many others in the area, now sees very few customers following price hike of gold and gold ornaments. Photo: STAR
Around 3500 jewellery shop workers have become virtually jobless in Jhenidah as drastic fall in sale due to high price of gold is forcing shop owners to roll back business.
There are around 900 jewellery shops in Jhenidah district -- 250 in Sadar upazila, 80 in Shailkupa, 105 in Harinakundo, 132 in Moheshpur, 90 in Kotchandpur and 235 in Kaliganj upazila, sources said,
The shops now see only a few customers as most people are avoiding gold ornaments amid skyrocketing of prices.
Frustrated owners are failing to pay daily wages to their workers who often stay idle.
During the last few months, a large number of workers left their profession and became rickshaw-pullers and 'nosimon' drivers for survival.
"I recently left my profession as I cannot maintain my family by making gold ornaments. Customers do not visit jewellery shops as the prices are very high," Rezaul of Baparipara village said.
Gour Babu, president of Jhenidah jewellery shop owners association, said, "We cannot pay shop rent regularly, let alone wages to the workers as business is dull. And so, workers are leaving their profession.”
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