Haor’s pottery industry in crisis due to plastic
The traditional pottery industry in the haor areas of Kishoreganj is now facing an existential crisis due to the dominance of plastic and melamine products. Once it was an integral part of rural life, the industry is now on the verge of extinction. Potter families in the Palpara area of Nikli Haor Upazila are living in extremely difficult conditions.
Three decades ago, clay dishes, utensils, pitchers, and pots were a daily part of rural life. But with changing times, demand for clay products has almost disappeared due to cheap and durable plastic alternatives.
In Nikli’s Palpara, artisans still make dolls, toys, flower pots, and everyday items from clay. However, their livelihoods are highly uncertain due to declining sales.
Local artisans said that while clay was easy to collect in the past, it now has to be purchased at a higher price. In addition, increases in fuel, paint, and production costs have made sustaining production difficult.
Although the industry once generated substantial income during Baishakh and other festivals, it has now declined significantly.
Artisans report that where income used to be Tk 50,000-60,000, it has now dropped to Tk 8,000-10,000.
Ninety-year-old Joshna Rani Pall of Palpara said that about 300 families were once involved in this profession in the area, but now that number has fallen to only around 30 families.
Potter Gopan Chandra Das said that rising raw material costs have made it difficult to run a family. Many artisans are forced to look for alternative work because sales are no longer sufficient.
Jiban Pall said, “The demand for clay items has almost disappeared due to plastic products. Where 10 items were sold earlier, now only 2 are sold. Survival has become difficult without government support.”
Dulal Chandra Pall added that he cannot leave this long-standing profession, but continuing it has become extremely difficult, putting his family under severe strain.
Saraswati Rani said the traditional pottery industry is on the verge of extinction due to the dominance of plastic and stressed that it cannot be sustained without government support.
Ratan Pall said that while sales at the Baisakhi fair were once substantial, they have now declined sharply. The imbalance between income and expenditure has made it difficult for families to survive.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Nikli, Rehana Majumder Mukti, said that training and loan assistance are being provided to sustain the pottery industry. Loans totaling Tk 6 lakh have already been provided to 12 artisans. She added that the administration will take all necessary initiatives to protect the industry and ensure proper utilization of the assistance.
Experts believe that reducing plastic use, alongside government initiatives, is crucial to sustaining this eco-friendly traditional industry. Otherwise, thousands of years of pottery tradition may be lost.
