India’s GI tag for Tangail saree sparks outrage among netizens

Tangail tant saree has been recognized as Geographical Indicator (GI) products status in India attracting widespread criticism from Bangladeshi netizens.

India's Ministry of Culture has claimed that the 'Tangail saree' originated in West Bengal which has sparked outrage from netizens as the traditional tant saree is widely considered to have originated from Bangladesh's Tangail district.

As 'Tangail' itself originates from the name of the Tangail district of Bangladesh, Tangail saree cannot be claimed as Indian product.

The issue surfaced on Thursday night when India's Ministry of Culture has claimed that the 'Tangail saree' originated in West Bengal.

"The Tangail saree, originating from West Bengal, is a traditional handwoven masterpiece. Renowned for its fine texture, vibrant colours, and intricate Jamdani motifs, it epitomises the region's rich cultural heritage," the ministry wrote in a post on Facebook on Thursday (1 February).

"Each Tangail saree is a testament to skilled craftsmanship, seamlessly weaving together tradition and elegance," it added.

Meanwhile, the Indian ministry's facebook post comes weeks after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in an X post, wrote,"Three handloom saree items of West Bengal, namely Tangail of Nadia and Purba Bardhaman, and Korial & Garad of Murshidabad and Birbhum, have been registered and recognized as GI products."

"I congratulate the artisans for their skills and achievements. We are proud of them. Our congratulations to them!!" she added.

Gazi Md Rezaul Karim, member (O&M) of the Bangladesh Handloom Board, said that there is an option to object against India's GI tag for the saree.

The Tangail saree has a rich tradition and history, representing one of the oldest cottage industries in Bangladesh. A large number of handloom artisans migrated from Bangladesh to India during the partition and the 1971 Liberation War. They settled in West Bengal, where they popularised this specific type of saree.