Poor villagers of Jamalganj have upheld the old tradition of making Shital Pati (cool mat made of cane) in the upazila through training.They are preparing mats of different designs and gradually becoming self-reliant.Villagers of Sonapur, Kalipur, Chanpur, Kadamtoli, Durgapur and Ramesharpur have been maintaining their livelihood by making different types of mat for ages.Almost every member of a family of these villages is involved in this profession.Cultivable land of this area remains under water for six months and there is no work for the villagers after the month of Baishakh. They depend on preparing mats for their livelihood for these months.Being residents of a haor (water body) area, these mat makers have no land for cultivation. Poor economic condition is a big hurdle for the trade they are involved in. Only means of livelihood for the villages here is making pati (mat).On Line Media Centre organised a two-day workshop at Chanpur village of Jamalganj sadar union.While visiting the place, Urmila Rani Dutta of Chanpur and Beauty Kar of Kadamtoli said this area is famous for mat production.‘Shital Pati’ of this area, which is widely famous, includes two varieties—normal and Jamdani.After 15 days’ training with the assistance of Jamalganj Sadar union parishad, they have learnt how to make embroideries on the mats.They formed an association named Durgapur Shapla Samity comprising 25 members.Ittakes five days to make a normal mat and eight to nine days to make Jamdani mat while 25 days for embroidered mat.Each normal mat is sold at Tk 500, Jamdani at Tk 700 and Nakshi (embroidered) at Tk 2000 to Tk 2500.But smooth production in the industry is hampered for unavailability of ‘Murtar’ (cane of which mat is made).The mat makers have to procure the material from Mongalkat Bazar of the district and different places of Sylhet.It takes three years for Murtar to grow fully.To prepare a mat, what are needed are ‘Murtar’ worth Tk 250 to Tk 300, dyes worth Tk 30 and three days’ time.A mat can sell for Tk 500 to Tk 700.Local people like Dhirendra Chadra Kar, Nikhil Chandra Das and Ratis Chandra Kar said this area faces disaster every year, particularly during the cultivation time.Those who are involved in agriculture have no alternative.They are to depend on this industry.For lack to capital, the industry here remained closed for a long time.With the assistance of IDEA, they have now become self-reliant.Mat makers can do this business with small capital and make good profit.Although Jamalganj is famous for Shital Pati, the industry is not getting any patronisation from any quarter.In 2006, the government undertook a programme called ‘One-district one-product’ for increasing volume of export.At that time, Shital Pati from Jamalganj had a room in the export basket.But the industry insiders do not know that there is scope for exhibition of Shital Pati in Dhaka and elsewhere of the country.Jamalganj Sadar union parisahd chairman Foizur Alam Mohan urged the authorities concerned to arrange training for mat makers through Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industry (BSIC).BSIC provides training in different trades except Shital Pati.There is no plan visible from the government side to train the people in the haor area for their income generation. – UNB, Sunamganj
