They are the popular clay jewellery and ornaments up for sale in handicraft shops, in markets or on the pavements.

Although clay ornaments date back hundreds of years, their urban use became popular in the '90s.

The city is home to about 100 such shops, plus the wayside stalls, as in front of Shishu Academy, New Market and Kalabagan. The roadside sellers, many of them women, collect items from Tantibazar and Rayerbazar. Many craft their products at home or in factories.

"Our design is uncommon and attracts people, especially the young generation. Most buyers are students," said Nipa Khaled of Ideas Crafts at the Aziz Cooperative Super Market.

Samina Akter, a student of Dhaka University, said, "The products are of good quality and fashionable. I am satisfied with quality and price as well."

"There is a difference in quality between roadside items and those sold by handicraft shops in markets. The finish of the ornaments in roadside shops is not that good," she added

The upmarket shops also sell Nepalese clay ornaments flowing into Bangladesh thanks to free market economy. Nepalese items are outmatching local ornaments with their better design and extraordinary finish. The shops selling local items are losing customers who prefer machine-crafted items.

"Our ornaments are handmade, but Nepalese items are machine-made," said Sumon Khaled, a seller at the Aziz Super Market.

A pair of local earrings sells at Tk 10-100, a necklace at Tk 80-500, a bracelet at Tk 20-150.

Nuru Uddin, who sells ornaments in front of the Sishu Academy, says, "The item selling at Tk 150 is bought at Tk 25, plus Tk 15-20 in other costs."

Design is a problem for them. "Customers want new designs. But we cannot always come up with something new, as we have no training," said ABM Ruhul Shahnewaj, coordinator of the Jahanara Cottage Industries.