New Hope for People in South-Western RegionClay-made tallies create scope for economic emancipation→ Zahid Hossain Biplob SATKHIRA: The clay-made tallies have created a new vista of golden horizon for the people of the country’s south-western regions, after shrimp and jute, in the recent days. People concerned said, this has not only attracted the attentions of the foreign businesses, has also been contributing a lot to the national economy. Official sources said, the country earned around Tk 12 crore revenue by exporting tallies in the European countries in financial year 2011-2012. Italy, the Netherlands, Dubai, Spain and America are the main importing countries of the clay tallies made by the small entrepreneurs in Satkhira district, sources added. For bright prospect from the local as well as foreign buyers, a tally village has already been built at Kolaroa upazila in the district. The product has captured a large market in the European countries, concerned people said. They also said that their hand-made products are competing with concrete and modern tiles and in the meantime, the sector is contributing to the national economy. Besides, the sector upholds country’s history, culture, tradition and heritage to the buyers of European countries. Murarikati, Sreepotipur and Mirzapore, the three villages of Kolaroa upazila of the district are known as tally village, where there are 32 tally factories. These villages have also become familiar to the European countries. According to a local historian, clay-made tally industries were developed here with the advent of Pal dynasty. Craftsmen living here used to make various types of earthen appliances for household uses manually, which were not only attractive but eye-soothing also. Among these, hari, pan, jar, var, tally toys, dolls, flower polls, ash-pits and many other items are famous for their beautiful works, which are now highly demanded across the world. According to sources, tallies were used only as rooftop covers of houses in the country till the year 2000. After that year, the small entrepreneurs started to export tallies. Italy was the first country that imported the item from Bangladesh and later many other European countries like the Netherlands, Dubai, Spain and America started to import the item from Bangladesh. Gosto Chandra Pal, son of Ramkrishna Pal of village Murari Kati said their ancestor had been making tally since 1947. Gosto Pal, being a highest degree owner from the university, he still holds his ancestral profession. According to him, the country earned Tk 12 crore revenue by exporting tally in FY12. If the sector is provided proper support, the country could earn huge revenue every year, he added. Around 2500 workers are involved with the sector in Satkhira district. The tally makers work for six to seven months in a year. The season starts from October and continues till June and so the workers pass idle time during the rest of the year due to rainy season. Goso Pal further said that 20 kinds of tallies are usually made in his factory. These are square tally, circle tally, step tally, hexagonal cutting, and proven are mentionable. Square tallies are used to beautify rooftops of houses. Circle tallies are used in the walls of houses and one set of such type of tally is sold for Tk 40,000. Aloka Pal, wife of Santosh Pal of Sreepotipur, who owns a workshop here said that sometimes the products are being sold in credit but the buyers do not pay timely. “For this, we have to count huge loss as we have to pay double interests to banks,” she said. While contacted Abdul Mannan, President of Satkhira Chamber of Commerce and Industry told daily sun that tally making sector is a promising industry. The government should provide necessary support to the tally makers through easy bank loans at a minimum interest rates to explore the potential of the sector. “This has opened a new avenue for the local small entrepreneurs that can help ensure economic emancipation and thus enrich the national economy,” he added. - See more at: daily-sun/details_Clay-made-tallies-create-scope-for-economic-emancipation_556_1_3_1_27.html#sthash.a1VxrXBp.dpuf
Posted on: Sun, 14 Jul 2013 05:49:46 +0000
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