Bundles of harvested broom grass dry under the winter sun in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The seasonal crop provides important cash income for Indigenous families. Photo: Eltu Chakma(Facebook)
Bangladesh, Rangamati | February 22, 2026: Every winter, while national headlines focus on politics and power struggles, a quieter economy begins in the hills.
Across the slopes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, families harvest tall flowering stalks of broom grass. Under the dry season sun, long bundles lie in rows across village yards. What looks like ordinary grass is, in fact, one of the most important seasonal cash resources for many Indigenous communities.
Known scientifically as Thysanolaena maxima, broom grass grows naturally on steep hill slopes and forest edges. It requires little care, survives on poor soil, and does not need heavy fertilizer. In areas where other crops struggle, broom grass thrives.
Harvesting usually takes place from late November to February. After the monsoon ends, the grass matures and turns slightly golden. Families cut the stalks by hand, clean them, and tie them into bundles. The bundles are dried in open sunlight before being sold to local traders.
For many households, this is not a minor side activity. Depending on yield and market price, a family can earn between 20,000 and 60,000 taka in a good season. In remote areas where formal employment is limited, this income helps pay school fees, buy food, cover medical expenses, and prepare for the coming months.
“In December, I sell enough to cover my children’s school costs for the year,” said a farmer from Rangamati, describing the importance of the harvest.
From village yards, the grass moves to markets in Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban, and Chattogram. It is then processed into traditional household brooms. Across Bangladesh, these brooms are used daily in both rural and urban homes. Affordable and durable, they remain one of the most common cleaning tools in the country.
The story does not end in Bangladesh. Broom grass is also a major cash crop in Northeast India, particularly in Meghalaya, Assam, Mizoram, and Tripura. Farmers in Nepal and Bhutan cultivate it commercially. In some Indian states, it is officially promoted as a structured hill economy. In Bangladesh, however, the sector remains largely informal and dependent on middlemen.
Beyond income, broom grass plays an environmental role. Its deep root system helps prevent soil erosion on steep slopes, especially in regions vulnerable to heavy monsoon rains. As global demand increases for biodegradable and eco-friendly products, broom grass represents a sustainable alternative to plastic-based cleaning tools.
Yet the economy remains fragile. Prices fluctuate. Storage facilities are limited. Weather patterns affect flowering cycles. Without organized market support or cooperative systems, many farmers remain vulnerable to unstable pricing.
Still, every dry season, the harvest continues.
From forest slopes to city floors, broom grass connects remote hill villages to the wider country. It may seem ordinary in urban homes. In the Chittagong Hill Tracts, it is the seasonal income that keeps families moving forward.
By The Times of Jumland | Rangamati Desk
