Dhaka, July 8 -- In Bangladesh's haor region where monsoon waters transform roads into waterways for nearly half the year, boats are not merely a means of transport-they are a lifeline and for decades, Maijbari, a village in Sadar upazila, has quietly kept that lifeline afloat.

Located just three to four kilometres from Sunamganj town, the village has earned a reputation as the district's "boat village," where generations of artisans have preserved the craft of wooden boat building.

More than 3,000 residents depend directly on the trade, producing a wide range of traditional boats, including barki, khilua and dingi.

Boatbuilding continues throughout the year, although demand peaks during the rainy season when the haor landscape becomes...