Jamesangpui Bom has been involved with bamboo handicrafts for over two decades. He once participated in folk art fairs in Narayanganj, when bamboo mugs, glasses, pen holders, tea trays, vases, and other handcrafted items enjoyed a healthy market. He still makes bamboo products, but now only as a hobby during his free time.

Speaking from his home in Farukpara, on the outskirts of Bandarban town, Bom explained that there is demand for bamboo crafts. However, small and medium-scale entrepreneurs have not stepped forward to support production and marketing, preventing products from reaching the wider market. If entrepreneurs were involved, the sector’s potential could be fully realized, becoming a profitable industry and generating employment. NGOs could also help expand the market.

Around Bandarban town, many artisans create bamboo crafts in their spare time. These products are sold in shops around tourist centers. In areas like Limepara, Farukpara, Gethsemanepara, and Udhalbunia in Rajbila, artisans work in their verandas or yards, often balancing craftwork with farming and garden duties.

Several artisans said they supply their products to shops near tourist spots like Shailprapat and Chimbuk Hills, as well as in Nilachal and the town center. Some make items on order. The sales supplement household income. Raw materials and tools are available, and there is demand—but entrepreneurs are needed to expand the market.

Craftspeople Lalrin Sang Bom and Thuisaching Marma said the market for bamboo products was fairly strong seven to eight years ago. At that time, some NGOs and the Bangladesh Folk and Artisan Foundation assisted with marketing. Hundreds of artisans across the three hill districts (Bandarban, Rangamati, and Khagrachhari) received training and technical support from the Forest Products Research Institute. However, after projects ended, private organizations withdrew. Without entrepreneurs, producers became disconnected from the market, supply chains broke down, and demand shrank.

Bamboo handicrafts are created by shaping bamboo into functional and decorative items such as mugs, cups, water bottles, pen holders, vases, tea trays, soap cases, and musical instruments like ektara and dotara. The primary raw material is bamboo—species like Baijya, Muli, Mita, Kali, and Bhudumb bamboo are used. Each type of product requires a specific bamboo type. Other materials and tools include dyes, gul siris and pata siris (bark), adhesive, gas spray, and grading machines.

Local vendors said most buyers are tourists. Affluent domestic and foreign visitors prefer these products as souvenirs. In Shailprapat, bamboo bottles, mugs, ashtrays, vases, and pen holders are top sellers, priced between 100 and 350 BDT, with sales increasing when foreign tourists visit. Rana Das, a craft dealer in Bandarban town, added that local demand is low; most buyers are tourists or visiting officials who purchase them as gifts.

Jamesangpui Bom, who previously showcased bamboo products in fairs across Chattogram, Narayanganj, and Dhaka, said that before COVID-19, these products were also supplied to markets in Dhaka and Chattogram. To restore the market to its former level, the involvement of entrepreneurs and support from government and NGOs is essential. Producers currently have no access to bank loans, making large-scale local initiatives impossible.

Shamim Alam, manager of Bandarban’s Small and Cottage Industries Corporation, noted that imported products produced with advanced technology are often cheaper and of higher quality. To remain competitive, the handicraft sector must adopt mechanization alongside traditional craftsmanship, with capital investment from entrepreneurs. Without this, bamboo handicrafts cannot compete with foreign products.