Consumption Pattern and the Factors of the Handloom Weavers in Charghat Upazila of Rajshahi District in Bangladesh

Abstract

This study investigates production culture and consumption pattern of handloom weavers in Charghat Upazila of Rajshahi District in Bangladesh and also finds the factors affecting their consumption pattern. For this purpose, from the Charghat Upazila, the study selects 51 handloom weavers randomly to collect data. To describe the production culture, the study adopts case study approach and the socio-economic conditions and consumption patterns are described by the descriptive Statistics. A multiple regression model is also applied to find out the factors affecting consumption pattern of handloom weavers. The case study finds that the traditional handloom production culture is dominated by women and sustainable products in terms of hand technology. The descriptive statistics analysis finds that handloom weavers have long experiences in this sector but their consumption levels are at minimal level below the national average without sufficient nutrition and non-food consumption. The regression results find that family size, working hours in the handloom-weaving industry, factory ownership, and monthly income has positive and significant impact on the consumption pattern of the families related with handloom-weaving industry. Therefore, the policies regarding adjusted salaries with working hours and marketing facilities should be initiated for improving the consumption pattern of handloom weavers.

Keywords:

• handloom industry
• consumption
• handicraft

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Md Ataul Gani Osmani

Md Ataul Gani Osmani is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Varendra University in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. He is now studying resource economics and sustainable development as an international Masters student at Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna in Rimini campus, Italy. [email protected]

Md Fahad Al Ashik

Md Fahad Al Ashik is a Masters Student of Economics at Varendra University in Rajshahi, Bangladesh.