Besides, 4,000 weavers are facing additional sufferings for many years as the government had filed certificate cases against them to realise Tk 25-crore default loan.

Against this backdrop, the Handloom Weavers Organisation demanded that the government withdraw the cases and relieve the weavers of the credit. The government approved the weavers Tk 160-crore loan, of which Tk 25 crore remained default, the leaders of the organisation told a press briefing yesterday.

"Many weavers were forced to leave the profession due to the negative attitude of the successive governments towards the sector," said Shamsul Alam Julfikar, general secretary of the organisation, at a press conference yesterday.

The weavers were the worst victims of the floods in 1988 and 1998 but "although the government and different organisations are putting effort for rehabilitation of flood-hit farmers, no-one pays attention to us," Julfikar alleged.

The floods have damaged 5,000 handlooms in Sonargaon, Rupganj and Siddhirganj and left many weavers jobless, he said.

Without the government's assistance, the weavers cannot overcome the situation, he added.

Weavers had taken different initiatives including savings and credit programmes to improve the sector but all of their efforts turned futile due to the floods, said Julfikar.

"If proper steps are taken to develop the industry, it can again contribute to the country's economy."

The leaders asked the government to meet their demands immediately. Otherwise they will announce tougher programmes through a press conference on August 28.