Elections: Sunny days for makers of musical instruments

Business is good: Drums come handy at polls.Photo: STAR

Makers of percussion instruments in Mymensingh town and in the suburbs report brisk business as the demand for instruments in the election rallies has gathered momentum.
The instruments include tenor drum (boom), side drum (corha), jhunjhuni, kortal and gipsy. In fact so popular are these that local bands as well as those from Sherpur and Jamalpur are rushing to Mymensingh to buy new instruments.
Rezaul Karim Aslam, proprietor of Nawab and Co. at Boro Bazar in the town said that the sale of these instruments picked up from December 15 and even more in recent days. A set of instruments, including two drums, jhunjhuni and kortal is going from Taka 1,800 to 2, 500 depending on quality. As Aslam said, “I had to engage six more employees to cope with the increasing demand. Customers mainly from Trishal, Phulbaria, Haluaghat and Muktagacha in Mymensingh, Nalitabari in Sherpur and Sharishabari in Jamalpur are still thronging my shop. I have to do extra work to keep up with the demand."
Mohammad Harun-ur-Shaheed, proprietor of Shaheed and Co of the same area, also told this correspondent that in the absence of sufficient manpower he could not take more orders. Terming the business as "good", he said with sufficient groundwork, business would be even better.
The proprietor of Shamiron and Sons also echoed the same view.
Among the buyers was Enamul Haque, member of a band in Trishal who had come to Mymensingh to buy instruments. As he said, every group earns Taka 1,500 to 2,500 daily playing instruments with processionists. Alal Uddin, a team mate of Enamul,said, " Though it has become a seasonal business in the rural areas, for the present we are happy with our earnings.”