KOLAROA, Satkhira — Decorative tiles handmade from clay in Murarikati village of Kolaroa upazila are being exported to Europe, the United States and other markets, bringing in about 150 crore taka (about $12 million) in foreign exchange a year, traders say.
Potters in Murarikati village craft the tiles by hand, traders said. The Palpara neighborhood has not been touched by modernity even in the 21st century. As before, clay is gathered and piled high for years. Potters then cut the clay and knead it into a paste with their feet. Once the clay is ready, artisans shape various tiles by hand and in molds. The pieces are dried in the sun, then painted. After painting they are dried in the sun again and arranged for firing by a special process.
Tile making began here in 2002, traders said. There were 41 factories then; only 13 are still operating. Those factories together export 10 to 12 crore tiles a year to several European countries, bringing in about 150 crore taka in foreign exchange. The exported lines from Murarikati include Flex Angular, Head Drangular, Skirting, Stamp, Square, Roof, Bricks and Floor tiles. Exporters including JK International, Nikita International and Ma-Cottos International — 10 to 12 firms in all — ship the Murarikati tiles to Europe and the United States. Industry figures said that with modern technology and government support, Murarikati tiles could play a much bigger role in the country’s exports.
Tile factory worker Rustom Sheikh said: “Our soil is the sweet soil of the fields. The owners buy this clay from various places in the area. After several steps the tiles are made from this clay.”
Worker Md. Abdur Rashid said: “Murarikati’s soil is sweet soil. This soil is purer than gold. That is why it is exported abroad. The factories making things from this clay have created jobs for five or six working people.”
Kamal Hossain Bhutto, the owner of Pra-So Organic Tiles Company, said: “Whichever party comes to power forms a syndicate. Because of the syndicate, those of us who have been in business for a long time see no change.” He called on the government to break the syndicate.
Zakir Hossain, CEO of JK International, which imports the tiles to various countries, said: “The soil of Kolaroa’s Murarikati in Satkhira is sandy, so the tiles made from it come out beautifully. They turn into world-class tiles. The beauty that emerges after firing is the most striking in the world. That is why we have been able to capture the world market with these tiles. Those who have once used tiles made from Kolaroa’s clay will not use tiles made from any other soil in the world.”
“We export these tiles to the global market. Italy is its biggest market, which is why Kolaroa is called the city of Italy. We also export to the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Australia, Turkey and London in Britain,” he said.
Gourab Das, deputy manager of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in Satkhira, said: “Murarikati tiles in Kolaroa are a very promising industry. We have inspected the area on our side. We are ready to provide any kind of financial and technical assistance.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report