For Jhalakathi's Patigar community, weaving soft and cool shitalpati mats from stalks of the murta, a reed-like plant locally called paitara, is far more than a job: it's an ancient heritage. Unsurprisingly, the community's children are enthusiastic to participate. After school, Patigar children, especially the girls, are often busy mat-weaving, for them a cherished pastime.

"Weaving mats is fun," says Antora, a student of class one from Hailakathi Primary School in Rajapur upazila's Mathbari union. "To us it's like playing."

"We use our free time to weave mats with family members and friends," says Puja, a class-five student of the same school. Along with primary-school-age friends Antora, Bristi and Jui, Puja is to be found one afternoon busily weaving a mat on a temple veranda beside her home.

"I learned to make shitalpati from my aunt about five years ago and have done it ever since," she says, adding that much of her school vacation time is also dedicated to weaving mats. "I need about 25 days to complete a moderate sized mat, which can be sold for up to Tk 1200."

According to Patigar elders, children in the community learn to weave from family members when they are around five years old. It's considered an essential part of a child's education.

"Some will give up the craft for other professions," says Shushil Patigar, 60. "Others will weave as adults too."

"In our community girls and women in particular who have superior weaving skills are highly respected," says Jui's father Naruttom Patigar. "The children are most often keen to learn weaving skills as it is our ancestral profession."

With dexterous, smaller fingers, shitalpati mats woven by the younger Patigars can also be of favourable quality. Apart from being a chance for the youngsters to actively participate in and learn their heritage, the mats they weave add much-needed taka to family coffers.

"Even at such a tender age my daughter is able to contribute to our family's income," says Jui's father, who explains that in a climate of falling demand and prices for shitalpati mats driven in part by competition from plastic mats an extra pair of hands involved in the weaving is particularly welcome. "I appreciate her contribution very much."

"It's become very difficult to survive on shitalpati mat weaving nowadays," Naruttom adds. Around 100 families in Rajapur upazila continue to be engaged in shitalpati manufacture.

Despite difficult times in more recent years, money is not the sole focus of mat-weaving for the Patigars. "All our sorrows and pleasures are mixed into the art," says Jui's mother Shima Patigar, who like her daughter learnt the skills of weaving at a young age.

For their children too, the Patigar community is equally serious about formal education. "Patigar children are regular in school," says Hailakathi Primary School teacher Meherunnesa. "They are very attentive to their studies. I am impressed by their work and happy that my students are able to contribute to their families' livelihoods without compromising on their schooling."