As India's geographical indication (GI) recognition of Tangail sarees sparked widespread outcry and criticism around Bangladesh, including on social media, questions emerged about why Bangladesh had failed to get GI recognition despite being a rightful claimant.
The issue received attention on Thursday after the Indian Ministry of Culture shared the news that they had secured the GI rights to the Tangail saree, claiming on a Facebook post that it had originated in West Bengal.
Although stakeholders are now discussing the next course of action, they did not take any formal steps to secure GI recognition for Tangail sarees before.
Under the Ministry of Industry of Bangladesh, the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (DPDT) is the sole authority for providing GI recognition to any product. At present, Bangladesh has 21 products with GI status, including jamdani sarees, hilsha fish and muslin fabrics.
They did not receive any formal application for GI recognition of Tangail sarees until yesterday evening, according to officials.
DPDT officials said any traditional product has to go through a complex process before securing GI recognition. The first formal step is the submission of an application seeking the recognition by a stakeholder.
DPDT officials said the department had sent formal letter to all deputy commissioners (DCs) in the country to prepare a list of products that had potential to come under GI recognition last year. However, they did not get any response in most cases.
Raghunath Basak, president of Patrail Tant Malik Samiti of Tangail, said they were unaware of any processes relating to GI recognition until Tangail DC Kaiserul Islam held a meeting with them on January 30.
He raised awareness about seeking GI status for Tangail sarees after the district got the GI tag for one of its famed delicacies, chomchom.
Md Munim Hassan, DPDT director general, and Kaisir Mohammad Moinul Hasan, director of GI unit of DPDT, could not be reached over phone for comment.
However, Kaiserul said they had already started the application process for Tangail sarees, Madhupur's pineapples, and Jamurki's sandesh.
"We came to know about it [India's GI status for Tangail sarees] on Friday. We began the process from our side on Saturday and will complete it in an expedited way," he said.
Kaiserul said India has mentioned in the documentation that traditional saree makers had migrated from Tangail and other parts of Bangladesh to regions of West Bengal. There, they invented a different type of tant saree by changing the design of the fringe.
Speaking about the importance of the tag, Md Belal Hossen, assistant director, trademarks units of DPDT, said a product with a GI tag generally fetches about 20 to 30 percent more in the international market compared to similar products without the tag.
Basak added that these sarees are produced in the district due to convenient geographical and climatic conditions.
"I have seen on Facebook that West Bengal has taken the GI tag for Tangail's sarees. We strongly protest," Basak said.
As for arbitration, there are several options to pursue.
There is an opportunity to come to an understanding through ministerial-to-ministerial agreements, but there is also the scope to appeal directly to the World Intellectual Property Organization within one year.
"We are also actively considering that," he said, before expanding on the process of getting GI status.
"Documentation needs to be done. The product must have originated at least 50 years ago, while the history of Tangail sarees is more 250 years old."
To prove the place of origin of the product, many supportive documents, including historical documents must be submitted as evidence. If there is any reference in ancient literature, it has to be provided.
After receiving all these, the DPDT examines the case. The whole process requires three or four months, according to DPDT officials.
"As such, we are hopeful that we will get the GI recognition for this product," Kaiserul hoped.
