Urgent Plan for Bahraini Artisans’ Market

TDT | Manama

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An urgent push to give Bahraini artisans a permanent home won Parliament’s backing on Tuesday, with plans to set up a dedicated market at Bab Al Bahrain.

The move comes after years of upheaval for craftspeople, who have been left without a base since authorities cleared out the Handicrafts Centre in Manama.

MP Jalal Kadhem, who led the proposal alongside several colleagues, said the lack of a fixed space had forced artisans into a cycle of uncertainty, hauling their work from one event to the next in search of buyers. ‘They’ve been left with nothing solid to rely on,’ he said. ‘No steady income, nowhere to work or store their goods, and no certainty that their craft will survive.’

He argued that Bab Al Bahrain was the natural home for the market. ‘Tourists flood the area, yet there’s no sign of Bahraini artisans or their heritage,’ he said. ‘Instead, visitors step into Manama Souq and find shelves lined with imported trinkets from China and elsewhere, sold in shops mostly run by expat workers. That’s not the picture we should be painting.’

Kadhem also called for artisans to be brought under the Ministry of Tourism’s wing, giving them official recognition and access to bank funding to keep their trade alive. ‘They need proper backing,’ he said. ‘Without it, they’ll be edged out, and Bahrain will lose a craft that has shaped its identity for centuries.’

He urged the government to step in with financial and administrative support through the Ministry of Tourism and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. ‘These people carry our traditions forward,’ he said. ‘If we don’t act now, we risk letting their skills slip away.’

Kadhem closed by calling for workshops and training schemes to teach younger generations, ensuring that traditional crafts remain a living part of Bahrain’s culture. ‘This isn’t just about the past,’ he said. ‘It’s about making sure our heritage stays in Bahraini hands.’