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India’s central ministry of culture recently claimed that the famous Tangail saree, a symbol of Bangladesh’s cultural heritage, actually originated in West Bengal, India.
The country made the claim through a post on the ministry’s verified Facebook page on February 1.
However, the post was removed from the page and it has not been visible since Monday, news portals said.
The Facebook post had come after Nadia, a district in West Bengal, was awarded the Geographical Indication tag a month earlier for this textile, traditionally known for its distinctive weave and design, attributed to Bangladesh.
The claim sparked criticism as it contradicts the saree's deep-rooted association with Bangladesh. The demonstrators wielding placards demanded urgent government intervention to secure GI status for Tangail sarees, a matter of national cultural heritage.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Senior Secretary to the Industries Ministry Zakia Sultana on Monday said the traditional Tangail handloom saree will be recognised as a Geographical Indication (GI) product soon, reports BSS.
"So far, Bangladesh has got the ownership of a total of 21 GI products," she told a meeting on GI product recognition at the Industries Ministry in the city.
In the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner of Tangail said that the application for registration of the Tangail saree as a GI product will be submitted within two days after proper documentation.
The pay order for the application fee has already been done, he added.
It was informed in the meeting that the government is thinking about legal issues as India has already declared Tangail saree as their GI product. Necessary efforts will be made to resolve the issue through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).