Clay toys fade before plastic; a potter of 30 years now makes well rings

In the potters' lanes of Dighalia, Dumuria and Paikgachha in Khulna, artisans are busy before Pohela Boishakh making clay savings banks, dolls and toys, but sales are not what they were. Demand for clay goods has fallen under the crowd of plastic toys. Once nearly every family in the Senhati potters' lane of Dighalia was in this trade; because income does not match expense, many are now day labourers or in other work. An artisan in the Boalia potters' lane has kept his forefathers' trade for 30 years. No one else in his family wants to join it and demand for clay goods is falling, so he now makes sanitary latrine rings or well rings. Even so, demand remains at fairs and religious festivals: at the Gadaipur field, the Chaitra Sankranti and Pohela Boishakh fairs see good sales of clay utensils and toys. Clay goods are made at 5 to 6 places in Dumuria, but for lack of suitable clay they cannot make attractive goods, only ordinary pots and pitchers. A shopkeeper there buys good clay goods for the new year from places such as Kushtia, Patuakhali, Jhalokathi, Barishal and Pirojpur and sells them. The upazila administration says training and loan schemes are available through Youth Development and Social Services. The artisans want government support and publicity for clay goods through fairs and exhibitions.