A Dying Craft

Abdul Kader is weaving lungis at his home in Ruhitpur of Dhaka's Keraniganj. The famous Ruhitpuri Lungi was produced in about 5,000 handlooms in the area about a decade ago. The number has dropped to only 10 to 15. Kader says many weavers left the profession and became rickshaw pullers or auto-rickshaw drivers, failing to compete with big factories. Kader, however, weaves four to five lungis a week and sells each for Tk 400 to 500. Taking the advantage of the small number of weavers, many are marketing other low quality brands of lungis in the name of Ruhitpuri Lungi. The handlooms left by those who quit the profession are in a sorry state. 

Photo: Anisur Rahman