The falling business

Once there were around 40 families in Porabari union in Tangail making the Chamcham that received nationwide fame. But now only about 10 families are in the business due to high production cost, poor profit margin and the fact that almost every Chamcham produced in Tangail is claimed to be from Porabari.
The Haluis, traditional name for the sweetmeat makers, of Porabari have been hit hard with high prices of ingredients for their sweetmeats. Prices of sugar, milk and fuel have skyrocketed over the years but the prices of Chamcham have not increased much in comparison.
The haluis of Porabari are very particular about the quality of milk they use for the Chamchams, which pushes up their production cost as well.
Halui Dinesh Chandra Gour, 40, owner of Adi Porabari Mistanno Bhander of Porabari said his maternal grandfather Narayan Chandra Gour, also known as Bangalee Halui, had learned the craft from Dashrath Gour, the pioneer of Porabari Chamcham industry.
“My father was taught by my grandfather and my elder brother Gonesh and I learnt from our father," Dinesh said, adding, "Now we run one of the three Chamcham shops in Porabari.”
Dinesh's mother Reshma Rani, 75, talked about the heydays of the industry. She said the then jamindars, landlords of the British era, loved the Chamchams produced in Porabari and they considered it a delicacy.
They used Chamchams to entertain their guests from home and abroad, she said, adding that they used to receive a lot of tips from the happy jamindars.
"But now that's only history," said Halui Sankar Chandra Gour, 80, of Porabari. The senior most living Halui said now they want to quit the profession but could not do so as they know nothing but to make Chamchams.
Veteran sweetmeat trader Gour Ghosh, 75, said in the 40's milk was 50 paisa a kg and they could sell a kg of Chamcham for Tk 1 and still have a 40 percent profit margin.
But now, a 10 or 15 percent profit is hard to make selling a kg of Chamcham for Tk 180-200.
Montu Chandra Gour, 45, of Porabari said, “People buy Chamchams from the shops in Tangail town at high prices thinking them to be from Porabari, which in most cases are not from Porabari, five kilometres from the town."

An employee of a renowned sweetmeat shop in Tangail town claimed that the price of their Chamcham is a little higher than those of Porabari since its quality is better and the value added tax has to be included.
Several hundred Haluis in Tangail district also produce various mouth-watering sweetmeats like Rosogolla, Sondesh, Panitoa, Amriti, Rosmalai, Malai Kari, Doi etc.
Amid the stiff competition, poor profit margin, high price of ingredients, the Haluis of Porabari struggle to survive in the trade they have been in for generations.

Photo: Mirza Shakil