The Tangail Deputy Commissioner has applied to the Director General of the Directorate of Patents, Industrial Designs and TradeMarks under the Ministry of Industry to claim the Geographical Indications (GI) status for Tangail sari.
He said this during an exchange of views with journalists at his office yesterday.
Deputy Commissioner Md Kaisarul Islam said: “Tangail sari is indeed worthy of recognition as a GI product of Bangladesh in any case. We have been doing the documentation process for Tangail sari recognition as a GI product for the last three months.
“Basically, the history of the sari, as well as information about people's lives tied with it, has been utilized by gathering and documenting data spanning two and a half centuries. The application has been accepted. We hope to receive GI recognition regarding the Tangail sari soon,” he added.
He continued: “After receiving Tangail sari's GI recognition, we will file an appeal in line with the provisions of the World Intellectual Property Organization constitution.Although the Tangail sari from Bengal has been certified by GI as an Indian product, it is genuinely a Bangladeshi product, and Bangladesh's interest conflicts with that accreditation.
“We are very optimistic that Tangail sari will be recognized as a GI product of Bangladesh in the final judgement,” he added.
Notably, a controversial claim was made via a Facebook post on the official page of India’s Ministry of Culture, sparking criticism and humour on social media.
The post claims: “The Tangail sari, originating from West Bengal, is a traditional handwoven masterpiece. Renowned for its fine texture, vibrant colors, and intricate Jamdani motifs, it epitomizes the region’s rich cultural heritage. Each Tangail sari is a testament to skilled craftsmanship, seamlessly weaving together tradition and elegance.”
Since then, there has been a wave of outrage and protests throughout the country.
People have been protesting on various social media platforms. A human chain was formed in Tangail in protest.
