Handmade shoemakers in Narayanganj struggle against the tide of brands | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Friday
June 20, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2025
Handmade shoemakers in Narayanganj struggle against the tide of brands

Economy

Sabit Al Hasan
06 April, 2024, 09:45 am
Last modified: 06 April, 2024, 12:11 pm

Related News

  • Bashundhara Group chairman, MD among 6 face arrest warrants in journo's cheque dishonour case
  • Bangladesh calls for separate South Asia-China platform to tackle climate risks
  • DSE serves query to Lovello over unusual share price hike
  • Study finds alarming mercury levels in popular skin creams sold in Bangladesh
  • ICAB says only its members have legal statutory audit rights

Handmade shoemakers in Narayanganj struggle against the tide of brands

Sabit Al Hasan
06 April, 2024, 09:45 am
Last modified: 06 April, 2024, 12:11 pm
Khokon Chandra Das, a 30-year-old shoe-maker, sits in his shop amid his hand-made shoes in the Kalibazar area of Narayanganj city. Khokon learned the trade from his father. The photo was taken on 30 March. Photo: TBS
Khokon Chandra Das, a 30-year-old shoe-maker, sits in his shop amid his hand-made shoes in the Kalibazar area of Narayanganj city. Khokon learned the trade from his father. The photo was taken on 30 March. Photo: TBS

On Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula Road, also known as Kali Bazar Road, in Narayanganj, there are five modest shoe shops. Lacking the glitz of modern showrooms, these shops hold a hidden treasure - the legacy of handmade shoemaking, a tradition dating back to pre-independence times.

These cobblers, both craftsmen and sellers, cater to both retail and wholesale customers. While their businesses once had factories, the changing tide of the industry has swept those away.

Despite the potential to supply shoes to Dhaka and its neighbouring districts, demand for handmade footwear has dwindled, coupled with the struggle for fair pricing. This decline has dampened their spirit of investing capital.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

The Narayanganj streetscape has been witnessing a surge of branded shoe stores. Companies like Bata, Apex, Bay, Lotto, and Sprint are rapidly establishing their presence, adding to the existing competition. These brands attract customers with contemporary designs and comfort, easily drawing a larger audience.

Even so, a loyal customer base still cherishes the distinct comfort of handmade shoes. These patrons, drawn by affordability and durability, visit the Kali Bazar shops once or twice a year.

Khokon Chandra Das, a 30-year-old inheritor of this tradition, carries on his father's legacy. His father Rakhal Chandra Das established a thriving shop before independence. Back in the 1980s, the factory bustled with activity, employing 30 workers and supplying shoes solely for wholesale distribution. However, those prosperous days are today a distant memory. Today, Khokon wages a battle to keep the business afloat.

Khokon recalls Enayetnagar, a former shoe manufacturing hub where hundreds of artisans once worked. Now a mere handful remain, many having opted for alternative careers. Despite the challenges, Khokon remains committed, driven by the sentimental value of his family's craft.

He blames the decline on two key factors - the dominance of foreign brands and his limited financial resources. Unlike the laborious process of creating handmade shoes, large-scale, automated factories require significant capital investment, which Khokon lacks.

While they may lack the glitz of branded footwear, handmade shoes offer distinct advantages - durability, quality, and the ability to customize.

Khokon's shop displays a familiar variety of shoes – Loafers, Chatti, Belt, Sacchi, Slippers, etc – mirroring those seen in both branded and non-branded stores. However, the heart is in the manufacturing process itself. While shoe production has ceased due to high costs and low demand, they still accept custom orders.

Both Khokon and other shopkeepers explain their diverse clientele. Customers of all ages, especially those struggling to find their size in branded stores or seeking comfort for foot problems, frequent these shops.

Though time-consuming, the affordability of handmade shoes remains a significant draw. Ready-made shoes range from Tk400 to Tk1,200, with custom orders varying based on specifications. The craftsmen assure customers of fair prices, slightly lower than market rates while maintaining quality.

Rony, a seasoned shoemaker with over two decades of experience, can craft 12 pairs daily. He describes his work as straightforward, yet feels undervalued due to the dwindling customer base.

Rony emphasises the use of pure leather in their shoes, ensuring a lifespan of one and a half to two years. However, the allure of branded stores reduces foot traffic to their shops.

Even during Eid, a period of heightened demand, they struggle to sell more than 20-30 pairs daily, with numbers dipping to a meagre 5-8 pairs on regular days. This decline in profitability, from a high of Tk300 per pair to a mere Tk50, paints a grim picture.

Faced with a bleak future, these shoemakers are reluctant to pass on their craft to the younger generation. The ease of buying and selling readily available shoes discourages younger generations from entering this struggling profession.

Like the forgotten shoemakers of Enayetnagar, they believe that seeking opportunities elsewhere holds greater promise.

Bangladesh / Top News

Shoemaker / Shoemakers / Narayanganj / Bangladesh / Handmade shoes

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Vice-Chair of the National Consensus Commission Ali Riaz briefing reporters on 19 June. Photo: Screengrab
    Most parties agree upon amending presidential election process, BNP for existing method
  • Emergency workers at Soroka Medical Center after an Iranian missile strike, Israel June 19, 2025. Photo: Reuters
    Khamenei 'cannot continue to exist', Israeli defence minister says after hospital strike
  • US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media during the installation of a new flagpole on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, DC, US, June 18, 2025. Photo: Reuters
    Trump to decide on US action in Israel-Iran conflict within two weeks, White House says

MOST VIEWED

  • BAT Bangladesh to shut Mohakhali factory, relocate HQ after lease rejection
    BAT Bangladesh to shut Mohakhali factory, relocate HQ after lease rejection
  • Logo of Beximco Group. Photo: Collected
    Beximco defaults on €33m in Germany, Deshbandhu owes Czech bank €4m
  • Students attend their graduation ceremony. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo
    US resumes student visas but orders enhanced social media vetting
  • Mashrur Arefin appointed Chairman of the Association of Bankers Bangladesh
    Mashrur Arefin appointed Chairman of the Association of Bankers Bangladesh
  • Logo of Beximco Group. Photo: Collected
    BSEC to probe overall operations of five listed firms, three belongs to Beximco
  • Infographics: TBS
    Pvt sector's foreign loan rises by $454m on stable exchange rate, reserve in three months

Related News

  • Bashundhara Group chairman, MD among 6 face arrest warrants in journo's cheque dishonour case
  • Bangladesh calls for separate South Asia-China platform to tackle climate risks
  • DSE serves query to Lovello over unusual share price hike
  • Study finds alarming mercury levels in popular skin creams sold in Bangladesh
  • ICAB says only its members have legal statutory audit rights

Features

Evacuation of Bangladeshis: Where do they go next from conflict-ridden Iran?

Evacuation of Bangladeshis: Where do they go next from conflict-ridden Iran?

1d | Panorama
The Kallyanpur Canal is burdened with more than 600,000 kilograms of waste every month. Photo: Courtesy

Kallyanpur canal project shows how to combat plastic pollution in Dhaka

2d | Panorama
The GLS600 overall has a curvaceous nature, with seamless blends across every panel. PHOTO: Arfin Kazi

Mercedes Maybach GLS600: Definitive Luxury

3d | Wheels
Renowned authors Imdadul Haque Milon, Mohit Kamal, and poet–children’s writer Rashed Rouf seen at Current Book Centre, alongside the store's proprietor, Shahin. Photo: Collected

From ‘Screen and Culture’ to ‘Current Book House’: Chattogram’s oldest surviving bookstore

4d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Bribery exposed: BBS report reveals year’s dark data

Bribery exposed: BBS report reveals year’s dark data

3h | TBS Today
Is the story of nuclear weapons just to justify military operations?

Is the story of nuclear weapons just to justify military operations?

4h | TBS World
What are the political parties saying about the presidential election and power?

What are the political parties saying about the presidential election and power?

4h | TBS Today
Pakistan Army Chief urges US not to get involved in Iran-Israel war

Pakistan Army Chief urges US not to get involved in Iran-Israel war

5h | Others
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net