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April
28, 2000
Natore,
Apr 27 (UNB) – At least 1,250 blacksmiths in six upazilas of the
district are facing severe crisis due to price hike of raw materials,
scarcity of coal and shortage of working capital.
Anil
Karmakar (65), a blacksmith of Bilamoria village in Lalpur upazila,
said that he inherited the profession from his father. “Time is very
bad now. We cannot meet the necessities of life,” he said in an
emotion-choked voice.
He
said the blacksmiths need financial support from government agencies
as the non-government ones are not interested in extending financial
assistance to this profession. They need cash to purchase iron, steel
and coal, which are not available at reasonable price.
Bhupendra
Karmakar, another aged blacksmith of Budhpara village of the upazila,
said demand for their products has declined greatly with modernization
of farming system.
According
to him there is hardly any demand for household articles like spade,
hoe, rake and plough-hook and sickle. The users have taken to newer
products manufactured in factories.
The
blacksmiths have hardly any scope for getting financial support from
either government or non-government side, Montu Charan Karmakar of
Bilmaria village said with a nod of sheer frustration.
After
completing HSC, Montu (20) took the responsibility on his shoulder
from his father to run the ancestral business. He urged the government
to provide them loans on easy terms and condition to help them stay in
this profession.
Another
from Kushtia said: In the absence of patronization the blacksmith
community of the district is in severe crisis and facing extinction.
The
blacksmiths used to produce agricultural and household appliances can
hardly in work as they do not have adequate working capital when price
of raw materials like iron and coal have gone high.
Having
no other alternative many of the blacksmiths have given up their
ancestral profession and some of then turned paupers.
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