At the ongoing 20th Session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held during December 7-13, Bangladesh has achieved a long-standing goal by securing recognition for the Tangail saree’s weaving craft as an “intangible cultural heritage”.
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The development is significant also from the bilateral India-Bangladesh point of view, as India had secured the GI tag for “Tangail Saree of Bengal” in 2024, which was met with criticism in Bangladesh, with sections there claiming that India’s decision was an infringement of Bangladesh’s cultural heritage.
“This recognition is a matter of immense pride for Bangladesh. This is a global recognition of the weavers of Tangail who have been perfecting this craft for more than two centuries,” said Ambassador K.M. Talha, who represents Bangladesh at the UNESCO General Conference, who dedicated the recognition to the weavers and women of Bangladesh. Diplomatic sources said that Bangladesh will receive a certificate for the recognition of Tangail saree’s weaving craft on Wednesday (December 10, 2025) in the UNESCO meeting in New Delhi.
