Jogesh Chandro Pal (45), a potter of Digholtari kumarpara is very much frustrated about his future and school-going children. He does not know what to do now. His ancestral business can't feed his five-member family.
But he can't do anything else because he knows only to make various household products using clay. He is involved with this ancestral profession for at least 30 years. But in recent years the use of plastic and cement made products threatened their profession.
Nearly 30 families of Potter's community of Digholtari Kumar Para under Durgapur union of Aditmari upazilla are passing their days in a very hardship due to pandemic situation. They are passing a hard day as they have no income from other sources.
Many of them already forced to change their parental profession for survival. Because it has become very difficult to feed their children through this profession. Dhigholtari is a frontier village adjacent to the Indian border only a half kilometer away from the Indian village Jaridharla. The river Dharla is flowing beside the border. Once people of both bordering areas used to come and go for work.
Khaleda Begum (45), a woman said now- a -days they can't go Indian side due to strong vigilance by border forces. They have no work except agriculture but many of us have no land to cultivate, said Kalipodo Pal.
Kalipodo Pal (50) expressed his deep concern and sorrows to this correspondent that nobody come forward to look after them. The government is helping many of the other communities but we the people of Potter's community do not get any support from the government or other people. We are passing very hard days during this covid pandemic situation from last year. We can't sell our products in hat, bazar or village fair. This is our main source of income but no village fair or festival held due to covid pandemic. We are in great difficulties with our children, he said.
Suvash Pal now is a van puller changing his profession. He said that this profession can not feed them properly so finding no other alternative he has changed his ancestral profession.
Sumita Rani, a housewife of the village said due to covid there is no village fair or festival from last one year. Mainly we sell our various products in the festivals and fair like Sindur Mati Mela, Rash Mela, Boishakhi Mela, and other village fair but everything is closed now, she said.
They urged the department concerned to look after their communities. They also demanded loans at a low interest rate for their survival. If they get support from the government they could survive, he added.
Abdur Rob Sujon a poet and social worker said potters are the neglected communities of our society but they make various beautiful products for our household decoration. But they are now passing hardship due to Covid-19. Government should stand beside them in this crucial situation, he added.
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