100-year-old Sunil Mandal selling mats in Tala for 70 years
Shamim Khan, Tala (Satkhira)
The oldest mat industry in Tala upazila is about to disappear. Many have given up this profession due to shortage of raw materials and not getting the desired price in the market.
Although this traditional cottage industry is about to disappear soon, a man named Sunil Mandal has been found. Sunil Mandal is one hundred and nine years old and has been selling mats across Tala upazila for about 70 years. He is the son of Haren Mandal of Madra village in Magura union of Tala upazila.
It is learnt that this mat industry was the main source of income for 200 to 300 families in this region. Due to the revolution in the plastic industry, the lack of necessary materials, maintenance and patronage, mats made of mel (a type of grass) are about to disappear. Sunil Mandal, a 100-year-old man from Madra village, said, "Most of the families in our village were involved in mat weaving. But now, no one makes or sells mats. I have been selling mats for about 70 years. I have two sons and one daughter.
The elder son does business and the younger son does fish farming." When asked why he still sells mats, Sunil Mandal said, "It is our grandfather's profession. Even if I want to, I cannot give it up. So in the morning, I walk about seven to eight km from Madra village to Tala Bazar. If the mats sell well, I go back home.
In response to the question of why others have given up selling mats, he said, a few years ago, the price of a single cowhide mat was 280 to 300 taka. Now it has increased to 500 to 600 taka. As a result, 500 to 700 taka is spent on producing a pair of medium-sized mats.
However, the wholesale price of a pair of these mats in the market is 800 taka. This means that a pair of mats does not earn more than 20 to 30 taka. As a result, it has become difficult to run a family.
Nihar Ranjan, Parimal Kumar, Dinesh Kumar Mandal and several other people from the area said that about 200 years ago, our grandfather and his grandfather were involved in this mat industry. Their fathers and grandfathers were also involved in this profession. Currently, the cost of making mats is skyrocketing.
Due to the shortage of raw materials and the lack of desired prices in the market, the oldest mat industry is going to disappear. If the government had made arrangements to preserve the industry by providing subsidies, many people would have returned to this profession, they said.
Tala Upazila Agriculture Officer Hazira Khatun said, no subsidy is provided by the concerned department for farming or making mats.
