
Intheheydayofthejuteindustry,millionsofpeopleinBengalmadetheirlivingdoingthislaboriouswork,whichhashardlychangedsincetheindustrialrevolution.The100-year-oldmachineryhasbeenendlesslyrepaired.Stateaidkeptthissustainablealternativetoplasticgoing,butitsfuturelooksbleak.<br/> Inbeautifullycomposedshots,NishthaJain(GulabiGang[2012],LakshmiandMe[2007])showsthelastvestigesoftheindustry.Shefollowstheentireproductionchain,fromcuttinganddryingthereedalongtherivertoweavingintwoofthebiggestmillsinthearea.Alongendlessrowsofantiquelooms,theairthickwithdustyfibers,workerscarryouttheirroutinework.Accidentsandjammedmachinesarecommonplace;workers’facesrevealtheexhaustionofalifetimeoflabour.<br/> Meanwhile,theunionisfightingforaminimumwageequivalentto250USdollarsamonth.Duringtheirbreak,theworkersspeakout.“Nowadaysnobodycaresaboutquality,justmoreproduction,”saysone.Notlongafterwards,oneofthemillsclosesitsdoorsaftermorethanahundredyears.