A conflict is brewing between Bangladesh and the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. Although the two regions were divided in 1947, with Bangladesh later becoming East Pakistan and eventually Bangladesh in 1971, the current dispute does not revolve around religion or ethnicity but rather focuses on a cultural item: the saree, a traditional six-yard garment worn by women in various parts of South Asia. In January of this year, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, announced that the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the Tangail saree had been granted to West Bengal.
In a post on X, Mamata Banerjee expressed, “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!!” Following Banerjee’s announcement, a debate ensued on social media, with Bengalis from both sides of the border claiming ownership of the versatile Tangail saree.
The reactions to the GI tag for the Tangail saree have been varied, with netizens from both India and Bangladesh weighing in on Banerjee’s post.
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