India’s Ministry of Culture claims West Bengal roots of Tangail Saris, triggering controversy amidst geographical indication dispute
Rayhan Rafi:
The Tangail saree, a beautiful and intricate handwoven fabric, has become a point of contention between India and Bangladesh. India’s Ministry of Culture declared the Tangail saree, originating from West Bengal, as a traditional handwoven masterpiece. This assertion contradicts the widely accepted belief that the traditional tant saree actually originated from Bangladesh’s Tangail district.
On X (formerly Twitter), West Bengal’s Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, likewise congratulated the artisans, writing, “Three handloom saree items of West Bengal, namely Tangail of Nadia and Purba Bardhaman, and Korial and Garad of Murshidabad and Birbhum, have been registered and recognized as GI products.”
The claim has triggered a wave of reactions on social media, with netizens expressing discontent and questioning the authenticity of such a statement from an important ministry.
However, Bengal’s Tangail saree was registered on January 2, 2024, by West Bengal State Handloom Weavers Co-Operative Society Limited, valid until September 7, 2030, according to the Indian Geographical Indications Registry website.
The debate around the identity of the Tangail saree was not resolved earlier. The saree’s origins were previously a topic of controversy when an advertisement at the Kolkata airport claimed that it was handwoven in Phulia, in the Nadia region of West Bengal.
When the Ministry of Textiles and Jute of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Handloom Board accountable key figures were contacted, their quotes and displeasure with the assertion were met with genuine gloom.
An email attempt was also made to the Indian Ministry of Culture, but as of the time this article is written, no response had been received, which leading to disappointment among industry members regarding the sari’s origins and new geographical indication.
Mahmudul Alam Sarkar, Instructor and Research officer at Bangladesh Handloom Board notified India’s claim is actually inappropriate. With his sincere sadness he stated that, “I strongly condemn and express outrage that India has taken a geographical indication called ‘Tangail Saree’ which is totally inappropriate.”
Mr. Sarkar rationally asserted that Tangail district is in Bangladesh and that this product has been produced there since the beginning of time, which seems reasonable given that Tangail Saris’s biological home is Bangladesh.
The Tangail district of Bangladesh has historically produced the Tangail saree, which is well-known for its exquisite texture, vivid hues, and intricate Jamdani designs. India’s claim is rooted in the blood of the Tangail district’s residents, while previously migrated peoples also raise their voices in solidarity.
Bangladesh’s Tangail sarees are made by multiple groups, the oldest of which is the Basak community of Pathrail in Tangail. Prodip Basak, a longtime weaver of Tangail saris and one of the community members who was critical of West Bengal’s accreditation, said, “The oldest members of my family shared with me earlier that after a protracted search for the ideal location to produce taant saris, they eventually arrived in the surrounding districts of Tangail as a whole.”
The word “Tangail” itself originates from the name of the Tangail district in Bangladesh, reinforcing its deep-rooted connection to the region’s rich cultural heritage. As a result, these taant saris were known as Tangail saris, he added.
Despite India’s claim, the Tangail saree continues to be a symbol of Bangladesh’s artistic legacy and craftsmanship.
