The main center for metal casting in Bangladesh is in a small village known as “Dhamrai,” which is located about 20 miles outside of Dhaka, the capital city. For many generations, this village has produced “handmade” metal-ware for markets throughout Bangladesh using techniques that are over 2,000 years old. These items include masterpiece quality statues, decanters, bowls, spoons and plates. Over the past fifty years, many of the families in Bangladesh who have been involved in the metal casting trade have taken on other work. With stiff competition from inexpensive machine-made aluminum and plastic products coming in from India and other countries in the region, the market is quickly dwindling away. As a result, the tradition of making handmade cast metal objects is in real jeopardy. For example, there are presently only four persons left in Bangladesh who are capable of making “masterpiece-quality” Hindu and Buddhist images using the lost wax method, an age old technique. Twenty years ago, there were over 30 craftsmen who knew this technique. Likewise, among these artisans, several have indicated that if the market for their statues doesn’t improve, they will switch over to making “toilet pots.” This would be a great loss since these artisans possess a skill that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. If, in the future, something isn’t done soon, this tradition will eventually fade into oblivion. To address this critical problem, the “Initiatives for the Preservation of Dhamrai Metal-casting” (IPDM), a newly organized, local organization in Bangladesh was created. The managing director of IPDM is Mr. Sukanta Banik. For over the past three hundred years, his family has been involved in the metal casting industry. The purpose of his organization is to help keep the legacy of traditional metal casting alive in Dhamrai in hopes that future generations will come to appreciate the time and effort that goes into making these unique objects. In this regard, IPDM recognizes that unless the entire metal casting industry is strong, then none of the metal workshops will survive. With funding from the US Embassy in Bangladesh, IPDM is now working with the entire metal casting cottage industry throughout the area. The program has been set up to develop the capacity of this industry to flourish and expand over the next few years. Elements of their work include: exchange programs with artisans throughout the region to engender a sharing of techniques; training programs for the next generation of apprentices; curriculum development to teach more people how to make these items in a systematic manner; student education programs which allow fifth graders from the international schools to visit Dhamrai workshops to actually make metal statues; research to improve existing metal casting techniques; and capacity building of the entire sector to make the businesses more efficient and cost effective. The organization is also hoping to attract artists from around the world to learn the techniques in Bangladesh. For those who accept this invitation, they will be in for tremendous learning experience and an adventure of a lifetime. Some of the specific objectives of the program include: documenting the problems faced by the metal craft industries in Dhamrai; preparing a video that “showcases” the metal industries in Dhamrai; creating the concept of an “institute” where metal craft technology can be transferred to those willing to be apprentices (from anywhere in the world); exchanging information among those working on these techniques in other countries (Bangladesh, Nepal and India); and helping develop a market for these items that will ensure that the industry will continue for years to come. Note that your patronage of these statues also helps to keep these workshops in Bangladesh alive and well. With each statue sold, these workshops are encouraged to continue their work using their traditional, age-old techniques. In the absence of this effort, the metal casting industry in Bangladesh might someday vanish. If this were to happen, an important part of Bangladesh’s artistic tradition will vanish forever. Let’s work together to see that this doesn’t happen. For more information about the work being done in Dhamrai to preserve the metal industry, please contact me at msfman1@yahoo.com. About the author; Matthew Friedman is the author of two books on Metal casting in Asia including Bangladesh Metal Casting and Nepalese Casted Vessels, Decanters & Bowls. He has spent 8 years in Bangladesh with US AID where he is largely responsible for reinvigorating the Bangladeshi metal casting industry with his efforts.
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