A boost for B’baria potters

After a week-long training, they are now confident that if slightly modified and adapted to new styles, their items can have good market abroad.

After learning use of modern equipment and technology, many of them are now thinking to have plots in Brahmanbaria BSCIC Industrial Estate to give their household profession a shape of industry.

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They were enthused when the Additional Deputy Commissioner Fayequzzam Chowdhury promised them loans and other support during the training that concluded last week.

The potters learnt use of metal wheel, drier, electric motor and other equipment at the Advanced Training on Pottery Production Technology, held at a village in Akhaura in the Sadar upazila. It was organised jointly by Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) and Change, two NGOs.

About 30 potters, 10 of them women, from different parts of the district took part in the training.

They learnt the technique to produce as may as 70 fashionable items including flower vase, tray, light stand, tiles and plate which have good demand abroad. The training was aimed at developing pottery into an industry as in other countries.

With machines, they can now go for mass production of quality and fashionable items in a short time.

They also displayed some of the items at the concluding session of the training.

"Pottery will now be a profitable industry with export potential", said Basana Rani Paul while talking to this correspondent. Flower vases made of clay, one of my best products, now attract buyers.

"It (flower vase) looks like a ceramic product but costs one fourth of that", she said.

"The production process has also been mechanised. Using metal well and finishing equipment, I can produce many items in a short time", she said. "I should have a show room to display the items".

Birola Rani Paul said her family now produces about 30 types of new products.

Rupesh Chandra Paul said he has started making new products which have good demand in Thailand.

Similar views were expressed by Jharna Rani Paul, Manmohan Paul, Shibu Chandra Paul, Narayan Chandra Paul and Anil Chandra Paul. They were among those who participated in the training course.

The concluding session of the training was also addressed by Musleh Uddin, Deputy Director of Social Welfare Department; Anisur Rahman Chowdhury, Programme Manager of ITDG; Abdur Rahim Bhuiyan, Upazila Social Welfare Officer; Trainer Swapan Kumar Paul and NGO executives Mohammad Parvez and Md Abul Bashar.

Taking to The Daily Star, ITDG Programme Manager Anisur Rahman Chowdhury and Trainer Swapan Kumar Paul said the trainees will now be able to produce quality products for markets abroad.