Syndicate controlling handloom industry

Staff Reporter :
A three-member syndicate has been allegedly destroying the country’s handloom industry by creating obstacle to import polyester yarn from abroad, according to the allegation of the country’s weaver.

In the press conference, they also claimed that due to the syndicate, most of the handlooms across the country, at least 60 percent of the total, were already shut down and the rests of the factories are also not in good condition.

Those would also be shut down any time, if the present situation continues to prevail.

At a press conference held at Jatiya Press Club on Monday, leaders of the root level handloom weavers across the country raised the allegation and sought the Prime Minister’s (PM) interference to wipe out the syndicate and save the actual weavers from the clutch of syndicate.

They alleged that Bangladesh Handloom Board (BHB) General Manager (GM) Kamonashish Das, Jatiya Tanti (Weaver) Samity President Monwar Hossain and Jute and Textile Minister’s Assistant Private Secretary (APS) are behind the syndicate.

Fajlul Haque, General Secretary to the Ward No.-3 Tanti Samity of Narsingdi’s Putia Union, presented the keynote in the press conference on behalf of the weaving sector leaders and general Tantis.

Among others, former president of Jatiya Tanti Samity Babul Bhuiyan, KBP Madhyamik Samity’s former president Monjur Hossain, Tanti League’s leader Md. Samiruddin, Ward No.-3 Tanti Samity of Narsingdi’s Danga Union Abu Sayeed, Karimpur Union Samity secretary Amanullah, Pabna Samity’s Abdur Rashid, Tangail’s Bolla Samity’s Billal Hossain, Hugra Samity’s Rubel Miah, Amodia Samity’s Keramat Ali, Sirajganj’s Khukni Union Samity’s secretary Nurul Amin and Tangail’s Kokrahura Samity’s president Shah Alam were present in the event.

Fajlul Haque claimed that the syndicate has been earning huge amount of money by restricting import of the polyester yarn and creating artificial crisis in the market.

However, the syndicate members have been doing business opening letter of credit (LC) themselves without giving permits to the original weavers.

“We, the country’s weavers including Sirajganj, Pabna, Narsingdi and Narayanganj, have given several complaints to the authorities concern including the Jute and Textile Ministry.

But, it didn’t work. Rather, syndicate strengthened themselves and depriving the original weavers from importing yarns in the name of selected permits for the ordinary weavers,” Fajlul claimed.

Fajlul claimed that Monwar Hossain was appointed president of the Jatiya Tanti Samity illegally without any election while Kamonashish has been serving in the same post of GM since last nine years.

Along with serving as GM, he has also been serving as a director of the board. After inclusion of APS Emdadul Haque, the syndicate strengthened themselves and started depriving the actual weavers.

There are more than one lakh actual weavers under some 1,300 Tanti Samities across the country, according to Fajlul.