Cane from Bangladesh's forests reaches living rooms of the world
Copyright 2000 Agence France Presse
October 13, 2000
From the forests of Bangladesh, household goods made out of cane such as lamps and furniture are becoming increasingly popular in Bangladeshi homes and offices and are carving out a place in the living rooms of the world.
Usually gathered from forests in the hills of this northeastern tea-growing district, increased demand has helped fuel business and create new plantations, said local businessman Akram Hossain from his home in the Sylhet suburbs
Hossain is among several thousand people in the district, known for its quality tea and cane products, especially furniture, who have been in the business for generations.
The recent popularity of cane furniture has seen his shop begin to make good profits after starting with a loan of just 20,000 taka (370 dollars) from the government-owned Krishi Bank.
"I paid back my loan in three years and I now have a capital of 25,000 Taka (463 dollars)," said Hossain.
"Cane furniture and household goods are increasingly popular in our handicraft category," a spokesman for the state-run Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau told AFP.
He said handicrafts fetched more than 5.66 million dollars annually and this figure was growing with exports to Europe and the Middle East.
Junibi (eds one name), 55, helps her family to make cane furniture, which over the decades has improved in quality and design.
"I have been doing this since my childhood," Junibi said as she worked from her home, which she shares with her children and grandchildren.
Ruhila, eight, was busy making a "mora," a small, low, round piece of furniture which is very popular in Bangladesh. She learnt the trade early on by watching her elders but said she still has much to learn.
Cane is treated by soaking it in water for a week and then peeling and drying it for another week. After choosing a design, many taken from western catalogues, pieces are cut, shaped using hot flames and then put together using nails and glue. A piece with intricate designs takes between two to seven days to finish.
Artisans sell three-seater cane chairs locally for 500 Taka (9.25 dollars), but in the capital, Dhaka, they can fetch at least 1,500 Taka (28 dollars).
"Sometimes a whole set of three custom-made chairs and tables, is sold for as much as 15,000 Taka (278 dollars)," said another artisan, Abdul Jalil. The minimum monthly wage for a trained artisan is 1,500 Taka.
Hossain said he has supplied Bangladeshis settled in Britain and Japan with furniture for their homes and businesses, including hotels.
"Business is good and picking up every day mainly because customers say the furniture is light and environmentally friendly," he said.
There are, however, problems with the trade. Moharram Ali, 55, who says his family has been in the business for "time immemorial", now has to pay more for cane as it is scarcer.
"Before, we used to get cane from the forests, but now we have to buy it from cultivators -- increasing our production costs. Furthermore, labour is more expensive because living costs are rising." he said.
However, changing professions is not a viable option for these artisans, said Ali. "We don't know how to do any other work."