The Dhaka Times Report. The country's bronze industry is on the verge of extinction today. The bronze plates, glasses, bowls and pots of one time are no longer visible.
There was a time when these bronze products were valued. Especially among Hindus, bronze items are more common. Of course, there is now the use of bronze articles among the early Hindus. Hindus still use these bronze plates and bowls. It is served by arranging rice in a big brass plate and serving it in a brass bowl. No separate container is usually used. At least among Hindus there is such a custom. That's why they used bronze items more. But day by day the trend of this bronze is going up. Now melamine and porcelain plates and glassware have become so popular that they are the modern day terrace.
The trend of bronze is rising
As time goes on, the trend of bronze is also increasing. Now you can't go to any house and find brassware. Only in the houses of some early Hindus may some bronze objects be seen. However, in Hindustan i.e. India, these bronze items are still in use. Some Hindu communities in Bangladesh still use these bronze items. At least the evidence was found in Shakari Patti area of old Dhaka. In a Hindu house in Shakari Patti, the clock we now call Jag was found. They use them as water containers. Moreover, they still do not use modern Chinese clay plates. There are brass plates and glasses etc. We also saw bronze glass in our childhood. Now we don't use them. But all these bronze items are our heritage. If you go to villages, you can still see these bronze items.
Brass industry at Dhamrai
Dhamrai is very close to the capital Dhaka. This Dhamrai is known as a rural area within Dhaka district. This bronze industry still exists there. There are several families involved in this bronze industry. However, they do not prepare the dishes. They made some bronze idols and marketed them. Which now we use only as a show-piece at home. Talked to some such people. They said, their ancestral business was brass industry. But keeping pace with the times, those businesses are now closed. They only manufacture and market bronze items that can be used as home show-pieces. Nipen Kundu said, our fathers and grandfathers were with this industry. But now the bronze industry is almost on the verge of extinction. We are making a living by making only a few show-pieces i.e. bronze statues and various kinds of show-pieces. But there is no government help or any cooperation from any organization. He said, maybe after another 4/5 years this industry will not exist. Regarding government assistance, he said, we do not get any loan or the government does not give any subsidy or any other support in this sector. Due to which our once traditional bronze industry will disappear in a very short time.
We think that the relevant department of the government will come forward to protect this traditional bronze industry of rural Bengal. We may not use brass plates and bowls but there are many other items including show pieces made of brass which we can easily export to earn foreign exchange and preserve its heritage.
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