UNESCO has recognized the Tangail sari weaving industry of Bangladesh as an invaluable cultural heritage. The decision was taken unanimously at the ongoing 20th Intergovernmental Committee meeting of the UNESCO 2003 Convention in Indian capital New Delhi on Tuesday.
Ambassador Khandaker M Talha, the leader of the Bangladesh delegation and the president of the UNESCO general assembly, permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in an immediate response, said that this recognition is a matter of immense pride for Bangladesh.
“This is global recognition of the impeccable craftsmanship of the weavers of Tangail for more than two centuries. Tangail sari is the daily wear of all women in Bangladesh, which has served as an inspiration behind the international recognition of this sari weaving industry. The ambassador dedicated this achievement to all weavers and women in Bangladesh,” he said.
This is the sixth single registration of Bangladesh under this convention. The other five recognitions received earlier are Baul Music (2008), Jamdani Weaving (2013), Pahela Boishakhe Mangal Shobhajatra (2016), Shital Pati (2017) and Rickshaw Painting (2023).
In April this year, the Bangladesh Embassy in Paris applied to UNESCO Headquarters through the table set by the 2003 Convention to achieve this registration. As per the rules, each application has to go through the initial approval process of an evaluation committee selected by UNESCO member countries. After successfully passing all the steps of this process, the document containing the application for registration is submitted for approval by the Intergovernmental Council. Although the preparation of this document is a complex process from a technical point of view, the Bangladesh Embassy prepared this document with its own expertise and it was accepted.
In the past 2023, when India declared Tangail sarees as their own geographical product, it generated adverse reactions among citizens of all walks of life in Bangladesh. However, if there was a risk of complications in achieving this registration from a political perspective, the Interstate Council declared the document prepared by the Bangladesh Embassy as a high-quality registration according to the 2003 Convention. Researchers and professionals on the subject of intangible cultural heritage believe that this registration has largely resolved the complications created in the past regarding the Tangail saree.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md. Riaz Hamidullah said that this registration was done through an international convention to which both India and Bangladesh are members. Sarees are a popular wear for women in both countries. Therefore, this registration will create a new opportunity for all women who love sarees to feel proud of their favorite clothes.
By winning a fiercely contested election in 2022, Bangladesh became a member of the Interstate Council of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for four years. Through this victory, it added a new dimension to the overall protection initiative of Bangladesh's intangible cultural heritage. 'Dhaka Rickshaw and Rickshaw Pictures' received this recognition at the 18th meeting of this council.
Earlier, on December 7, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar inaugurated the ongoing 20th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Council. The event was attended by the newly appointed director-general of UNESCO, Egyptian national Khaled El Enany. The meeting will conclude on December 13.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
