The first exhibition of books, women’s handicrafts and visual arts since the Taliban came to power was held on Saturday, September 24 in Bamyan.
But women who brought their products to the event say that their sales were very low with some sellers unable to make any sales. The sale was held over two days in front of the empty portico of a Buddha statue.
“Holding an exhibition is good for introducing and marketing our products but a more suitable place should have been chosen so that the products could be sold,” says Fatima Rezaei, head of the Ancient Bamyan Handicraft Association.
Fatima Nabizada, a representative of one of the participating organizations also says that the exhibition venue was small and contributed to the very low number of sales.
Fatima Rezaei says that there used to be more than 30 women’s handicraft organizations in Bamyan, with around 50 women earning a living in each organization.Now, around 25 handicraft organizations exist in Bamyan; of which six displayed women’s handicrafts at the event.
The exhibition in Bamyan was organized by Baihaqi Publishing House and the Taliban’s Ministry of the Information and Culture as well as the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Abdul Ali Muftizada, head of Baihaqi Publishing House, told Zan Times that this exhibition was the first book exhibition they had organized in Bamyam, and that more such events will be held in the rest of the country.
