Seventy-year-old Shomiruddin Nagarchi's back is bent with age, but his hands remain steady as he sits cross-legged on the mud veranda of his tin-roofed house in Joynagar village under Boalmari upazila of Faridpur.

Around him are piles of freshly crafted palm-leaf fans (locally known as "tal-pakha)", a symbol of tradition that has endured for generations.

For Shomiruddin, making palm fans is not just a livelihood but a legacy. "I have no farmland. My father and grandfather made these fans, and I learned from them," he says with a quiet smile. "It's love, it's heritage. That's why I can't leave it."

Shomiruddin's wife, Bhanu Nagarchi, also works alongside him. The couple, whose only daughter was married off years ago in Jhenaidah, now live alone.

Bhanu said together they make around 50 to 60 fans a day, often working from dawn until late at night.

But times have changed. With the spread of electricity and the rise of electric fans, demand for the palm fan has declined sharply, she added.

"There used to be so much work… two artisans could make over 100 fans in a day," Shomiruddin recalled. "Now, we barely make 25 to 30 a day."

During a recent visit, this correspondent saw the entire village at work. Men sliced palm leaves and split bamboo, while women stitched and coloured the fans.

Talking to the craftsmen revealed that Joynagar is home to around 100 families engaged in the craft. During the peak season from Chaitra to Ashwin, the village comes alive with activity. However, from Kartik to Falgun, the artisans face months of near unemployment. Some turn to other work, including joining village musical troupes to make ends meet.

Papi Begum, 35, a homemaker, said she and her family make 50 to 60 fans a day. A single fan retails for Tk 40 to 50, but wholesalers buy in bulk -- about Tk 2,500 to 3,500 per hundred, depending on market rates.

"Costs have climbed: a single fan now costs Tk 10 to 15 to make, including palm leaves, bamboo, thread and dyes, leaving little profit," she said.

Wholesale traders collect fans from Joynagar and distribute them across Faridpur, Rajbari, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Magura, Khulna, Gopalganj and Barishal.

"Joynagar's fans are well-made and durable. They can last four to five years," said Prabir Mitra, a wholesaler from Kaderdi. "That's why they're still in demand across the country."

Rafiqul Alam, chairman of Satoir Union Parishad, said there are plans to plant palm trees in the area to address the raw material shortage.

Boalmari UNO Tanvir Hasan Chowdhury said a proposal has been sent to bring the artisans under a small and cottage industries project, offering training and low-interest loans.