Bangladesh’s heritage handloom unique for aesthetic beauty: Speaker

Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has said heritage handloom products of Bangladesh are incomparable for tactical adroitness, weaving skill, quality of yarn and aesthetic beauty.

"Handloom products in the country such as: Nakshi Kantha, Banarasi Saree, Jamdani Saree, Tangail Saree, Manipuri handloom have a worldwide reputation for aesthetic beauty," she said while inaugurating the Heritage Handloom Festival virtually on Wednesday.

She further said the government has been taking various effective steps for the development of the weaving industry. It has taken initiatives to set up weaving villages for the development of weaving textiles. Besides, works are underway to set up a Fashion Design and Training Institute.

"The government also undertakes various projects for modernisation of the industry – including providing working capital to weavers and resumption of closed looms," Speaker Shirin Sharmin added.

The festival at Gulshan Shooting Club will remain open from 8am to 10pm till 12 February. Fifty stalls are displaying handloom products and handicrafts at the four-day event and on its website.

Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun said hopefully, this festival will connect well-known weavers, artisans and marginal entrepreneurs with renowned designers from home and abroad.  It will help create new markets, encourage entrepreneurs, he added.

SME Foundation Chairperson Md Masudur Rahman said many artisans, workers and entrepreneurs are losing interest or changing profession due to lack of fair price, lack of publicity, lack of supervision and government-private support despite the increase in the value of these heritage handloom products.

"The event is organised with a view to connect local and foreign buyers with the manufacturers and designers of the industry, preventing its extinction and creating employment in the country," he added.

State Minister for Culture KM Khalid, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Chairperson Wasika Ayesha Khan were also present.

The festival organisers are also hosting documentary shows, online seminars and other events on the history of the handloom and handicraft to attract the buyers to the products.

Kauser Ahmed, who is participating from Narayanganj with Jamdani sari, told TBS, "I sell 200 Jamdani saree a month.  80 artisans work in my factory. I am displaying Jamdani sarees ranging between Tk2 lakh and Tk10,000 at the festival."

Moreover, other stakeholders including Universities and Institutes of Fashion Design, University of Dhaka, BGMEA-Santa Mariam University, Uttara University, and Institute of Fine Arts also participated in the festival.