The magical hands of Jamdani

Jamdani is one of the finest fabrics produced in Bangladesh.

The fine quality is ensured by the touch of the hands- Photo/Saud Al Faisal

There are many handlooms still functional around Dhaka City. With these manually operated traditional machines, the artisans create the finest design. The design, patterns and colours are so unique that Bengal made a name for its Jamdani a long time ago.

The dyeing master checking the colour before colouring the threads- Photo/Saud Al Faisal

But the fate of these artisans is not as gorgeous as this fabric is. The average wage of a worker varies from $90 to $120 a month.

The magical hand touches the Jamdani- Photo/Saud Al Faisal

Even though the demand for these handmade products is on the rise, it is the middle-men who usually get the biggest cut of the proceeds.

The threads must be guided by the expert hand- Photo/Saud Al Faisal

Yet, the magical hands continue to carry the heritage of the fashion for centuries.

Checking the quality of the raw materials- Photo/Saud Al Faisal

All the coloured threads need to be inserted in the correct order- Photo/Saud Al Faisal

Saud Al Faisal started to develop his passion for photography at an early age and completed his Diploma in Black & White Photography from Alliance Française de Dhaka in 1996. During his long endeavour in photography, Faisal has received national and international recognition. His works were exhibited and published in many countries. Faisal also prefers to be introduced as a photo activist as he works for the photographers by pioneering many notable photography platforms in Bangladesh.

Feeling the threads- Photo/Saud Al Faisal

Text and Photos: Saud Al Faisal