Traditional bamboo chhai fish-trap making is declining in several villages of Nesarabad upazila in Pirojpur as modern fishing equipment gains use. Despite the pressure, residents of at least 18 villages, including Korfa, China-Bunia and Baldia, continue the century-old craft. About 15,000 men and women are directly or indirectly involved in making and selling the traps, which are linked to local aquatic culture, family tradition and livelihoods.

Artisans use thin strips from muli and moral bamboo along with thread. Bamboo is cut, soaked in water for several days, dried in the sun and turned into flexible strips. Men generally cut bamboo, prepare strips and make the framework, while women weave the strips into the finished traps using thread and specified designs.

Different chhai are made according to the type and size of fish, selling for about Tk300 to Tk400 depending on size and quality. Demand rises during the monsoon, when water increases in canals, wetlands and low-lying land. Craftspeople say use of current nets and other modern gear has reduced chhai use, while bamboo, thread and labour costs have risen without a comparable increase in trap prices.