Rangamati Correspondent :
The cane industry, a part of history and tradition of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), is on the verge of extinction due to lack of patronisation and proper planning for export.
Since the emergence of a lot of substitutes, people engaged in this cane-craft are somehow surviving in this hilly region where cane is produced abundantly in forests and along the surroundings of dwellings.
A lot of cane traders and growers turned to other professions deserting this age-old handicraft, once found famous, lucrative and fashionable house-hold furniture and antique to well-off people of the society, sources said.
Despite the adversity, a very small number of cane-craftsman has been marketing their products to different markets in the country after meeting the demand of the locals of the district, sources also said.
Many families have been earning their bread depending on this trade till date when everything is changing rapidly to artificial technologies, virtually a bolt to them as plastic products dominate markets leading the cane crafts industry to extinct, sources added.
Chair, table, swing, stool, cloth-stand, cot, paper basket and different types of home furniture including other show-piece items for drawing rooms and antique are made from cane in the CHT, local people said.
Cane craftsmen are turning to other profession due to scarcity of fund and lack of patronisation coupled with different adversities, said President of Rangamati Chamber of Commerce and Industries Mahbubur Rahman .
He also stressed the need for bringing the cane craftsmen under soft loan coverage and exporting their products abroad to protect this age-old craftsmanship.
The cane industry, a part of history and tradition of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), is on the verge of extinction due to lack of patronisation and proper planning for export.
Since the emergence of a lot of substitutes, people engaged in this cane-craft are somehow surviving in this hilly region where cane is produced abundantly in forests and along the surroundings of dwellings.
A lot of cane traders and growers turned to other professions deserting this age-old handicraft, once found famous, lucrative and fashionable house-hold furniture and antique to well-off people of the society, sources said.
Despite the adversity, a very small number of cane-craftsman has been marketing their products to different markets in the country after meeting the demand of the locals of the district, sources also said.
Many families have been earning their bread depending on this trade till date when everything is changing rapidly to artificial technologies, virtually a bolt to them as plastic products dominate markets leading the cane crafts industry to extinct, sources added.
Chair, table, swing, stool, cloth-stand, cot, paper basket and different types of home furniture including other show-piece items for drawing rooms and antique are made from cane in the CHT, local people said.
Cane craftsmen are turning to other profession due to scarcity of fund and lack of patronisation coupled with different adversities, said President of Rangamati Chamber of Commerce and Industries Mahbubur Rahman .
He also stressed the need for bringing the cane craftsmen under soft loan coverage and exporting their products abroad to protect this age-old craftsmanship.
