Bamboo artisans, who have no cropland of their own, have been passing hard times and struggling to survive on their ancestral profession for the last few years.
Bamboo-made products which were traditionally used in the rural households of the country in the past, have lost their appeal due to the cheap and increasing availability of plastic goods. Although plastic has a severely harmful impact on nature and the environment, consumers are gradually leaning towards the use of plastic products and rejecting environment-friendly bamboo or cane-made goods.
Besides, the consumers preferred to use "duli" for storing paddy a couple of years ago, but now they use plastic baskets as those last longer.

This drastic change has massively impacted the livelihood of bamboo artisans and affected their families. Almost all bamboo artisans in the district are currently maintaining their families by taking loans from their neighbours. Many of them are planning to leave their homes and go to Dhaka to seek work to earn money.
Bamboo artisans at Kathalbari Haat in Kurigram Sadar upazila said they usually pass busy times during Boro harvesting period (April-June) and Aman harvesting period (July-September) while the rest of the months they struggle to survive financially.

A buyer Mozammel Haque, 55, a resident of Barobari union in Lalmonirhat, said, “I bought one wicker tray for domestic works. In this season, there is no demand for bamboo products. But I used to buy some bamboo products in the paddy harvesting period every season.”
Artisans make various bamboo products including Darki (equipment for catching fish), cages, Ghorpa (cages for keeping poultry birds), cages for pigeons, Duli (large pots for storing rice), various kinds of wicker trays, winnowing-tray, winnowing-fan, winnowing-net, mat, hand-fan, basket, large hat, measuring tray etc.  
A bamboo artisan Mukul Chandra Das, 45, of Shibrum village in Sadar upazila said, “We maintain our families through making bamboo handicrafts as we have no cultivable lands. This is our permanent job for our Hindu Dash community.”  

“Most of our bamboo products are used in the agro-based works. The harvesting period of any crop is a busy time for our businesses. Sometimes we fail to supply our products according to buyer’s demand. Then, we sell products at double rates compared to normal time. At that time, we have sold agro-based products up to Tk75,000 on every haat day,” Mukul said.
“The products are made with the bamboo of Makla variety. Farmers normally don’t sell the bamboo from June to August as that is the reproduction period of bamboo trees,” Mukul said.
Another bamboo artisan Sumon Chandra Das, 26, said, “My family depend on the bamboo craft business. All of our family members except babies are involved in making bamboo crafts. We sell our products in various local markets.”

Artisan Kalpona Rani Das, 50, of Patnipara village of the Kathalbari union said, “I live in a hut beside the Kurigram-Rangpur highway as I have no land. We have been involved with this profession for generations. I don’t have any other skills to switch my profession. Currently, I’m passing hard times as our products are sold in small quantities.”
Bamboo-craft artisan Radha Rani Das, 50, wife of Karendra Taroni Das of Patnipara village of the Kathalbari union said, “Me and my husband survive by making the bamboo-crafts. But, now bamboo products are not being sold every day. Sometimes, we can afford one meal a day.”
“I have already taken some loans from my neighbours. I have to repay the loan (with interest) after a few months when I will be able to sell my products in huge quantities,” Radha said.
Another bamboo-craft artisan Saraswati Rani Das, 30, said, “Almost all bamboo artisans have taken loans with high interest. I don’t know, how to get loans from any government organisation. I think -- I could bring solvency to my family if I get any government loan (with little interest) for making bamboo-crafts.”