Bamboo baskets a thriving tradition of Bogra's Jamuna river basin

In two villages in Bogra's Jamuna river basin,” weaving bamboo baskets is a tradition with a long history. Up to 600 families in Kolonypara in Shariakandi municipality and Kuptola village in adjacent Shariakandi upazila rely on bamboo products for their livelihoods, as they have done for generations. For the last four years a new design has proved popular: bamboo containers for carrying vermicelli, which is locally known as shemai.

“During the month of Ramadan, we had an order for Tk 75,000 to supply shemai-carriers to Bogra town and other parts of the district,” says one craftsman, Shahidul Islam from Kuptola.

Shemai being a popular Eid dish, Ramadan month in the lead up to the festival is a busy time for these villagers, who work from dawn to dusk to keep abreast of demand.

Indeed, students of various schools get involved during the peak season in helping their parents to fill the many orders from shemai makers.

“Each container requires around Tk 12 in bamboo, with associated costs adding an extra Tk 8 to the manufacture price,” says Solaiman Ali, an artisan from Kolonypara. “We can make around 12 containers per day, and in the market each one will sell for up to Tk 30 to shemai makers.”

Locals estimate around 3,000 people work in the basket making industry year-round, with chatai, talai, hoca, ghorer chad, jhair and basher mora included in the traditional product range.

The mayor of Shariakandi municipality Alamgir Shahi Sumon says the bamboo craft traditions of the two villages have been practiced for a very long time, and that nowadays the business is actually improving.

Shariakandi upazila social service officer Abdur Rashid says his office has been providing training and financial support to the cottage industry.