Monsoon revives traditional boat-building trade in Chalan Beel

Boat makers across the Chalan Beel region in Natore's Singra upazila are witnessing a seasonal boom in business as monsoon waters inundated low-lying areas, increasing demand for both new boats and repairs. With water levels rising steadily, craftsmen are working round the clock to build new boats while also repairing old ones for fishermen and local residents who rely on water transport during the rainy season. 

Chalan Beel, one of the country's largest wetland ecosystems, remains submerged for nearly five months, making boats the primary mode of transport for commuting between villages, accessing markets and fishing.

A visit to Bildahar, Kalinagar, Sherkol, Tajpur, Santpukuria, Baria, Dahia, Biash and Singra municipality found boat-building workshops operating at full capacity to meet the seasonal demand.

Local fishermen are also preparing for the peak fishing season in the Chalan Beel and the River Atrai, further boosting the demand for boats. Besides constructing new boats, many craftsmen are engaged in repairing older ones by applying tar, replacing planks and reinforcing hulls with iron sheets.

However, boat makers said production costs have increased significantly this year due to higher prices of timber and other materials. A carpenter repairing boats in the Balua Basua area said he works as a woodworker throughout the year but earns additional income during the monsoon by repairing and building boats.

Abdul Hannan, owner of a boat-making workshop in Chaksingra, said most boats are built using karai, hijal and mahogany wood, along with bamboo, tar and tarpaulin. "So far this year, we have sold around 60 new boats, mostly small dinghies used for fishing. We expect sales to reach 200 to 250 boats during the season," he said.

According to Hannan, wooden boats are selling for Tk5,500 to Tk6,000, while larger flat-bottomed boats cost between Tk8,500 and Tk9,000.

Boat builder Swapan Chandra Sutradhar said he builds two to three boats a day during the monsoon and earns between Tk1,000 and Tk1,800 per boat. He works as a carpenter during the rest of the year to support his family.

Rubel Hossain of Santpukuria village said he came to buy a boat because roads in his village become submerged during the monsoon. "Boats are our only means of transport at this time of year, although prices are much higher this season," he said.

Afzal Hossain from Anandanagar in Chamari union said boats become indispensable whenever river water rises. "We need boats for fishing, farming and travelling from one house to another. There is simply no alternative during the monsoon," he said.

Goda Kumar, another boat workshop owner, said rising prices of timber, iron and other raw materials have pushed production costs well above last year's levels.

Boat maker Abdul Quddus said orders for new boats have increased sharply since the onset of the monsoon.

"Although work remains limited during most of the year, we become extremely busy in the rainy season. Despite higher timber prices, people continue to buy boats because they are essential," he said.