<i>No time to have a breather</i>
Handiwork artists busy as Eid nears
A worker of this workshop at Bogi Bazar in Dashmina upazila under Patuakhali district does artistic needlework, setting chumki, stone, pipe, glass etc to turn otherwise ordinary clothes into attractive 'Eid dresses' as those are in great demand ahead of the festival.Photo: STAR
About 150 handiwork artists at a workshop in a remote village under Dashmina upazila in Patuakhali district are passing busy time ahead of the Eid ul Fitr as artistically designed clothes supplied from there is of high demand during the festival. "I receive order for designed clothes from different shopping malls including Arong in Dhaka. We get order round the year but the demand rises ahead of different festivals like Eid ul Fitr, Eid ul Azha, Durga Puja etc," said Abdul Hai, 45, who along with his wife Shirin Begum, 38, set up the workshop at Bogi Bazar in Dashmna upazila in 2002. "We mainly receive order both men and women's clothes including salwar, kamiz, orna, punjabi and fotua. This season we got Tk 5 lakh work order. We do works with colourful stones, chumki, pipe, and glass that makes the clothes attractive and valuable," he said. After undergoing six-month training on handicraft in Mymensing organised by NGO Terre Des Homes Netherlands, the couple helped their three daughters to learn the art. Later many young girls and housewives from different villages including Bogi and Banshbari of Dashmina upazila and Dashpara and Korpurkathi of Baufal upazila area got employment at the workshop. A piece of cloth costing Tk 200 to 800 becomes sellable for Tk 2000 to 15000, depending on the quality and amount of the artwork. They are now working long hours to deliver artistically designed clothes as per order from shopping malls at different places including capital Dhaka. "I worked 15 hours to make this cloth beautiful with colourful designs and handiwork. Now it is worth Tk 3500. As the demand for such clothes has increased ahead of Eid, we have to work even during the night to ensure timely delivery," said Mariom, a worker of the workshop, while tying a piece of cloth to a wooden frame. "Normally we earn Tk 3,000 to 4,000 a month but our income doubles during the Eid season. My earning from here helps me to contribute to my family, especially for education of my children," said Rina Begum, 35, an artist working at the workshop.
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