Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
The history of Banarasi weaving industry in Ishwardi is almost hundred years. After the creation of East Pakistan, the Abangali Benarasi artisans of Uttar Pradesh, India settled in Fateh Mohammadpur of Ishwardi town. Artisans began weaving elite sarees with banarsi-katan. In spite of various crises and problems, about two hundred weavers of Benares still retain the profession of their forefathers.
Benarsi Palli was built in Fatehmohamadpur area as a government initiative to make the Benarsi weaving industry of Ishwardi more modern and up-to-date. Even after 20 years of its establishment, Banarsi Palli has not been completed due to various obstacles, including the increase in the price of woven goods including yarn, chumki and the domestic market in Indian Banarsi. Large areas of the countryside are covered only with scrub and jungle. Banarasi village is now on its way to closure. Many loom workers working in rural factories have changed their profession. It is known that in 2004, Bangladesh Textile Board built the country’s second largest Banarsi village on 5 and a half acres of land in Fatehmohamadpur area at a cost of 2 crore 15 lakhs. 90 plots are allotted to 90 weavers to facilitate payment of plot installments over 20 years. Of these, 70 are three percent plots and 20 are five percent plots. Out of 90 plots only 7 plots have been set up but three are operational now. It has been seen on the ground that the brick walls for setting up the factory have been seen, but their construction work has not been completed. The countryside has now turned into scrub and jungle as most of the plots have not been set up with factories. There is no one but an officer in charge of Banarasi village. In addition to performing the duties of Benarsi village, this officer is also performing the additional responsibility of looking after the loan distribution and collection activities of the weavers of Atgharia upazila.
Some of the loom owners of the allotted plots said that even if the plots were allotted in installments, they did not have the capital to build the factory. We have been doing business by setting up a factory in the abandoned railway area around the village since my grandfather’s time. Now the business situation is very bad. The price of yarn is high, due to various obstacles including labor shortage, the business of Benarasi weavers is now in recession. During the Pakistan period, there were about 450 Benarasi handloom factories. About seven thousand people were involved in this industry. Indian substandard saree prices are low so the market is abundantly supplied. Due to losses, many have withdrawn from the weaving industry in Baranasi.
There are three factories in the village namely 2 of Zaman Textile and Shanjida Saree Factory of a local loom owner. Working artisans said, the Banarsi-Katan made by us here was popular. Sarees worth 10-30 thousand taka are made here.