Potters busy making clay crafts for Pohela Boishakh

Marking the Pohela Boishakh, potters in Kumarpara of Kulaura Upazila in Moulvibazar are busy making various clay items.

They are producing traditional Baishakhi products including clay banks, pots, jugs, dolls, elephants, and horses.

To welcome the Bengali New Year, they are preparing these clay crafts as symbols of folk culture to sell at fairs.

The potters are focusing on the upcoming Baishakhi fair, producing a wide range of clay items such as banks, pitchers, tubs, and different types of dolls and toys.

Demand for clay products increases during the fair season. In Kumarpara and surrounding areas of Kulaura Upazila, both men and women are now working day and night.

These clay dolls, elephants, and horses are being made as an effort to introduce the younger generation to rural heritage.

Through this seasonal work, potters are able to earn additional income.

Although the profession is facing a crisis due to a shortage of clay and firewood, as well as a decline in skilled craftsmen in various parts of the country, they become busy again during the Baishakh season.

For generations, Pohela Boishakh the Bengali New Year has been celebrated by the Bengali nation. People in Kumarpara, Kulaura, remain engaged in preparations for the occasion.

On the spot, it was seen that in Mansurpur village of Karmadha Union, potters are making various clay items such as pots, curd containers, pitha molds, fish-washing pots, and decorative dolls.

The craftsmen are busy preparing clay, shaping different items, drying them in the sun, and firing them in kilns.

Local potters Harendra Rudra Pal (70), Arun Rudra Pal (51), Apendra Rudra Pal (56), Nila Rani Rudra Pal (60), and Lipi Rani Pal (32) said, “We make various items from clay that are useful in daily life.

We sell them at the Baishakhi fair at the beginning of the year.”

Potters make different products from clay to earn income by selling them at the Baishakh fair.

However, this nearly 500-year-old traditional profession is gradually declining due to the rise of plastic, melamine, and steel products.

Around 30 families are engaged in this profession, but many are now struggling to sustain their livelihood.

Clay artisans are becoming unemployed, and the younger generation is shifting to other occupations.

Their biggest problems now are the shortage of quality clay and firewood, without which production has become difficult. They also stated that they have received little to no government assistance.

In this regard, Kulaura Upazila Social Service Officer Pranesh Chandra Verma said that the government is continuously providing support to backward communities.

Allowances are being given to groups such as potters, blacksmiths, and weavers, and many have already been included in this program. Efforts are underway to include those who have not yet applied.

Assistant Professor of History at Langla Modern Degree College, Mazharul Islam, said, “Bengalis are a soil-rooted nation. If we move away from our connection with the soil, our identity will be lost.

Traditional clay artisans are now in distress. We are increasingly dependent on artificial materials. It is essential to revive clay crafts in daily life to preserve our cultural identity.

Government and private initiatives should support these artisans financially, and society should remain closer to those engaged in such traditional work.”

Assistant Professor of Agriculture at Langla Degree College, Md. Helal Khan, said that in ancient times, professions such as pottery, blacksmithing, weaving, and fishing were common and passed down through generations.

However, in the age of industrialization and information technology, these traditional occupations are disappearing.

He added that while some festival-based crafts still survive, the living standards of artisans remain very poor.

During Pohela Boishakh, people revive cultural traditions using clay items such as pots and decorative objects.

However, due to shortages of clay and firewood, production is limited, forcing many artisans into poverty.

He emphasized the need for government and local administrative support to protect these communities.