Now 'Made in Bangladesh' wooden boats to make their way to Europe
Impressed by the craftsmanship of boat makers in Pirojpur, a German citizen recently placed an order for ten boats. But how did it come about?
They say no one builds a boat better than the boat makers in Pirojpur's Atghor.
Every year, boats made in Atghor traverse the numerous canals to reach different floating orchards. Many of these boats have become famous for their appearance in Pirojpur's famous floating guava market.
Now the tale of the boats' craftsmanship has extended well beyond the country's border, bringing in orders from Germany.
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If all goes well, the first shipment of ten boats will be handed over to a German buyer next month (August), said Rakib Hossain, the vice president of the Nesarabad Tour Operators Association.
"A German citizen visited our area two months ago and liked the boats. He then expressed interest in having them made and shipped to Germany," Rakib said.
The order was placed to Azizul Haque, a local boatmaker who resides near the Atghor Bazar of the Atghor-Kuriana union.
Two boats have already been made, and work on the others is ongoing.
"I have been making boats, typically dinghies and small rowboats, for thirty years now. A German citizen ordered ten boats from me a few days ago. This is my first international order," said Azizul.
"Before this, no one in our area had received a foreign order for boats. The contract for each boat is Tk10,000. He has also paid an advance," he added.
Azizul said he is making the boats using mahogany wood as per the designs shown by the buyer.
These ten boats are only the first part of the orders.
"After sending the ten boats, another 20 would need to be made in different designs. There was a man from Barishal with the German buyer who comes to check on the progress each week," Azizul said.
Azizul said the German buyer will check the markets in Germany by taking these boats.
"He said he would place orders for more boats if these are well-received. The boats will not be used on any rivers or canals there. They will be used as ornamental seats," Azizul said.
Shafiq Molla, a local businessman at Atghor Bazar, said, "When the German tourist visited, we were all present. He liked the boat and showed us the design.
"Our local boatmaker, Azizul Haque, is working according to that design. He has already completed a few, and the structures for the rest are being set up," he added.
The Business Standard contacted the Barishal man who accompanied the German buyer when the orders were placed and are now overseeing the work.
"The work is in its initial stages, and we do not want to disclose details at this time. However, once all the boats are completely ready, we will provide more details before the transfer," he said, seeking anonymity.
Moniruzzaman, the Nesarabad upazila nirbahi officer, said, "Nesarabad upazila is admired nationwide for various reasons. It is very famous for Atghor's boat market. It is delightful news that boats are going to Germany from there.
"This will establish a global market for Bangladesh's products and open doors to economic prosperity," he added.
Moniruzzaman said he will speak with the boatmaker and the upazila administration will provide any assistance the boatmaker seeks.
"I personally want our traditional boats to cross national boundaries and create a market abroad," he added.
The boat market in Atghor in Pirojpur's Nesarabad (Swarupkathi) is the largest in the southern region.
The small boats made in this area are in high demand for supervising pear, lemon, and hog plum orchards due to the extensive network of canal-like waterways, making boats a primary mode of transport.
Boats worth more than Tk30 crore are sold in the Atghor boat market each season.
