Photo : TDM
Ahead of Qurbani Eid, blacksmiths are busy making different tools for cutting meat including machete, and knives of different kinds in various markets of Joypurhat. This correspondent found out that blacksmiths were busy making new tools and sharpening the old ones.
However, due to the increase in the prices of everything including coal, iron, and the blacksmiths said that the profit is not as much as before. They also said that they are in this business as their predecessors were blacksmiths.
It was learned that as there is not much work in other days of the year, the blacksmiths spend idle time, but during Eid al-Adha, their work increases. During this time, they have to work every day from morning to night.
Every year, selling of their goods increases during Eid al-Adha. With the money earned from this they buy essentials for the rest of the year.
Once one could hear the sound of the forge, waking up in the morning in “Kamarpara”, but now it’s just a distant memory as most of the items made by the blacksmiths are now made by machines in various modern workshops.
Mohit Karmakar and Subrata Karmakar of Bagzana village of Panchbibi Upazila said, “Now the business is in recession, except for the sacrificial month of the year. We are struggling to repay the loan to various NGOs. Because of this, many have changed their profession.”
Krishna Karmakar, an elderly person from the same area who is involved in the blacksmith industry, said, “Many years ago I went to Dhaka and worked as a blacksmith as there was less work in the area. But because there is also less work, I moved back as I could not afford the house rent and food.”
Amal Karmakar of Panchbibi Upazila's Dharanjee market said, “Here I run blacksmith business in a small place. Two haats are held every week on Friday and Monday. In the past I used to get orders for making sickles for harvesting paddy in this area during Eri and Aman seasons and big sickles for jute cutting during Ashar-Srabon month. But now the demand for that has also subsided.”
Thus now I am living in difficulty and struggling to arrange money for the loan installment of the NGO.”
Blacksmith Subrata of Sadar Upazila's Vadsa Bazar said that this profession requires a helper whose daily wage of the helper is Tk 300. “As I did not earn Tk 300 a day, I somehow supported my father Bhadu Karmakar’s profession along with my disabled younger brother Govind”, he added.
It has been found out that at present in different areas of Joypurhat, the wages of each type of da making are TK 200-400, for knives it is Tk 100, for big knives it is Tk 400-500 and for boti it is Tk 150-250.
A few buyers including Anwar and Sabuj who came to sharpen their machetes said that after a few days, machetes and knives are needed to slaughter cows, goats and cut meat. That's why they came to the market to buy machetes, boti and knives. But this time the price of these things is slightly higher than the last year.
The wholesaler of the blacksmith industry in Panchbibi Bazar said that they sell machete, boti, knife throughout the year. But the buying and selling of these tools bloom during the season of sacrifice. As always the selling is going well this time too.
However, since the price of coal and iron has gone up a bit, these items have to be bought at a slightly higher price from the blacksmiths. As a result we have to sell at a slightly higher price.
Deepak Mahant, a blacksmith trader in Bagzana, said, "Machete is sold at the rate of Tk 700 per kg, Hasua-boti at Tk 250-300 and knife at the rate of Tk 160-150 per kg.”
He said, “He has to buy at a higher price because the price of all the items is high. In addition to machete, bati, knife, the demand for tree trunks for making meat has also increased greatly.
Many people including butchers have started gathering to buy tree stumps at the local sawmills. Currently, these stumps are available for Tk 50-200 per piece.
TDM/SD
