Number of traditional blacksmith at Kamar Para Bazar decreased
Abdullah Al Mamun, Rajarhat (Kurigram)
Once a bustling hub for agricultural ironwork in GhuriarDanga Union, Kamar Para Bazar in Rajahat Upazila is witnessing a steep decline in its traditional blacksmithing industry.
Over the past two decades, active workshops at Kamar Para Bazar have fallen from over 200 to around 50. Veteran artisan Dhani Ram Ray (99) noted that his workshop workforce dropped from 500 workers two decades ago to just 40 today. Other local blacksmiths, including Nimai Ray and Sudhir Roy Karmakar (70), share similar struggles as modern machinery and scales have significantly reduced demand for their handcrafted tools.
The decline is driven by the widespread availability of factory-made tools, modern agricultural machinery, and soaring raw material costs for iron and coal. Because the work is physically demanding, heat-intensive, and yields low profit margins, younger generations are abandoning the trade for farming, business, and other occupations.
To preserve this traditional craft and protect artisan livelihoods, experts recommend providing modern skill training, low-interest loans, assistance with raw material procurement, and direct market access.
