Before electricity reached this region, and even afterwards when load shedding was a daily occurrence, traditional palm leaf hand-held fans were a common item in every household. Especially in rural areas, this handmade item, locally known as "tal-pakha," is still widely used, particularly during the sweltering heat of summer days.
Chadshi village, under Barishal's Gournadi upazila, is locally known as "pakhar gram" (village of fan craftsmen), with around 200 artisans engaged in making these hand-fans from palmyra palm leaves as their primary livelihood for generations.
With the onset of summer, artisans in Chadshi village were seen working tirelessly to meet the rising demand for palm leaf fans. Many were busy collecting and processing palm leaves. Women were observed cutting, shaping, and stitching the leaves into the traditional fan shape, binding them with bamboo sticks, and adding colours for the final touch.
Located about 44km from Barishal city, the village is renowned for this traditional handicraft.
"We have been making palm leaf fans for many years," said Khadeza Begum, a craftswoman.
Al Amin, 70, a craftsman, stated, "Last year, we sold 10,000 hand-fans at different village fairs. This year, we are preparing for the same, but there's uncertainty whether the village fairs will be held this year." The artisans mentioned they produce 100 fans at a cost of Tk 1,000 and sell them at a wholesale rate of Tk 2,000. Each fan retails for Tk 30 in the market. On average, an artisan can make 30-35 fans in a day, depending on the type.
However, the growing scarcity of raw materials and dwindling demand due to modern alternatives pose major challenges for the artisans to thrive.
"Many palmyra palm trees in the local areas have been felled without any new ones being planted. As such, we often face an acute shortage of palm leaves and have to source them from other areas at high prices, raising our cost of production while demand has been decreasing over the years," said Ibrahim Khalifa, an artisan.
Rehana Begum, another craftswoman, added that despite being a traditional handicraft, this trade receives little to no government support.
Many artisans are forced to take high-interest loans from wholesalers or NGOs to sustain their businesses. "We need government assistance and training to thrive," she said.
Md Nazrul Islam, deputy general manager of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation in Barishal, said, "We have opportunities to support artisans of such traditional handicrafts. If they seek assistance, we can arrange skill development projects."
