When the lifestyle of all classes people have been improving day by day with the change of the time, the potter communities in rural villages of Jhenaidah like other parts of the country have been leading inhuman life. Increasing prices of fuel, colour and other production materials and unavailability of soil have become the main reasons for the pitiable situation of the community as well as their smaller cottage industry.
Further, the potters’ community people were not at all informed about the least interest easy terms cottage medium- small and medium enterprises (CMSME) which might help them to run their business as declared by Bangladesh bank.
When this correspondent visited the potters community enriched village of Jhenaidah, talked to a number of potters.
Potter Kanailal Paul of the Shakharidah Palpara village under Harinakundu upazila said they have been running the pottery business as their four-father’ profession. As most of the community people could not complete education, could not mange suitable jobs for decades together. Finding no other alternative, they have been following the traditional business. But they have been facing severe crisis of soil, the main materials for making any items. Locally available least quantity of soil costs higher. Further, the prices of fuel woods and colour used for the finishing work of most of the earthen pots require higher prices which could not be realized selling the same from the market selling. It is really an embarrassing matter to them.
Shampa Rani Paul, a potter said the community people have been leading inhuman life with the family members as the profession became challenging for them when the cost of production went high, while the demand of the pots went low in the markets.
Availability of plastic and steel goods as home accessories have been occupying the market at affordable price where the earthen items are not compared there, Shampa Rani Paul said.
According to the woman potter, most of the potter community people live in rural villages and not adequate skill and efficient in making modern type of earthen items as desired by the modern citizens.
Some other potters in the village said supply of financial assistances for the potters was an important matter as no commercial bank provides loans for them. Due to collateral system of the banks, the poor potters do not show eagerness to rush to banks.
Finding no other alternatives, the potters seek money form the local money lenders, or money lending section of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that demands higher interest for the investment, they said.
Deputy General Manager (DGM) of the Sonali bank Limited in Jhenaidah regional office Iqbal Kabir, when contacted said the potters community people might avail the cottage medium- small and medium enterprises (CMSME) easy loans at the rate of five percent interest per year during the corona virus pandemic which might help them run their trade smoothly.
