Tarun Kanti, Thakurgaon:

Artisans in Thakurgaon are facing severe financial distress due to a steep surge in the prices of raw materials ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community.

While the costs of key materials have escalated dramatically, the selling prices of idols have not increased proportionally, leaving traditional idol makers—locally known as mritsilpis—in distress.

A recent spot-check across various artisan hubs, including Farabari village under Akcha Union in Sadar Upazila, revealed artisans working round-the-clock to complete the idols before the festival begins. Family members, including women and children, are joining in to finish the final touches of painting and ornamentation. Facing tight deadlines and soaring material costs, artisans are currently refusing new orders.

Local artisans reported significant price increases across all essential supplies, including bamboo, straw, clay, timber, rope, iron nails, paint, and decorative accessories. As production costs have skyrocketed, artisans are struggling to maintain profitable returns and sustain their traditional livelihoods.

Interviews with several artisans in Chapati village under Rajagaon Union revealed that while they crafted 16 sets of idols last year, they have scaled down production to just 10 sets this season due to elevated input costs.

Shubho Roy, an artisan from Deogaon village in Salandar Union, shared that he crafted 22 idols worth Tk 11 lakh last year, whereas this year he is making only 16 idols valued at Tk 8 lakh.

“Last year, I purchased large bamboo stalks for Tk 350 each, but the price has doubled this year. Costs for every other material have also shot up, making it increasingly difficult to turn a profit from our ancestral trade,” Roy explained. He added that while he earned a net profit of Tk 10,000 to Tk 12,000 per set last year, rising expenses this season make it challenging even to recover basic production costs.

Similarly, Bindu Roy, an artisan based in Thakurgaon town, accepted orders for only six sets of idols worth Tk 4 lakh this year, compared to 12 sets valued at Tk 8 lakh last season. Fear of heavy financial losses led him to limit his orders.

“Investing significantly more capital this year has drastically squeezed our profit margins. Continuing this profession at previous scales is becoming unsustainable,” Bindu Roy noted.

The five-day religious festival will commence on October 16 with ‘Maha Shashthi’ and conclude on October 21 with the immersion of idols on ‘Bijoya Dashami’.