Bangladesh’s centuries-old Jamdani weaving tradition took centre stage at the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation’s Jamdani and handicrafts fair in the capital on Friday, where artisans showcased intricately designed sharis.

Artisans and entrepreneurs have urged for stronger institutional support to preserve this heritage craft.

The ‘BSCIC Jamdani and Handicrafts Fair 2026’, organised by the BSCIC under Ministry of Industry, runs from March 10 to March 14 at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh complex at the capital’s Khamarbari, Farmgate.

Open daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm, the fair aims to promote local handicrafts and support small entrepreneurs and artisans.

According to BSCIC deputy manager Nasrin Sultana, the fair featured about 100 stalls, including 23 dedicated to Jamdani products.

Other stalls displayed jute-based items, leather goods, honey, food products and various handicrafts produced by entrepreneurs registered with the BSCIC.

Most Jamdani sellers at the fair came from Rupganj upazila in Narayanganj, a traditional hub for Jamdani weaving.

Many produce sharis themselves, while others source them from local weavers.

Visitors can find sharis in over 100 colours, with prices ranging from Tk 5,000 to Tk 1,50,000, depending on quality and complexity.

According to the BSCIC, the Jamdani Industrial Estate in Rupganj, established in 1993, has 407 units across 418 plots, employing about 3,160 people.

The estate annually produces about 60,000 Jamdani items, including sharis and outfits, valued at approximately Tk 30-35 crore.

Sojib, owner of Sumaiya Jamdani House, has been in the Jamdani weaving craft for nearly 30 years.

He began learning the craft at the age of ten due to his family’s financial struggles and after five years of working under other weavers, he set up his own loom in around 2000.

Now, he operates five looms and employs ten workers.

According to him, production time varies by design complexity. He can make four sharis priced at around Tk 12,000 each in a month, while more elaborate pieces costing Tk 50,000 to Tk 60,000 may take a month or longer.

Most weavers sell through middlemen due to limited market access.

Prices are determined by thread count and design intricacy, with simpler sharis starting at Tk 5,000 and intricate ones costing Tk 3,00,000 or more.

Traditional motifs feature flowers, vines and birds, with four types of sharis produced — full silk, half silk, full cotton and nylon.

Sojib hoped for increased government support to improve marketing and production.

Despite modest sales at the fair, with six sharis sold per day, his main goal was to promote his products.

Masud Rana, owner of Girls Gallery Jamdani House, was inspired by his wife’s roots in a Jamdani weaving community.

He transitioned from garment production to start this venture with his wife in 2021, investing Tk 15-16 lakh. In 2024, they expanded by taking a loan from BRAC Bank, now operating 26 looms and producing 40 to 50 sharis each month.

Masud mentioned they focused on wholesale but also attended fairs for promotion.

At a recent fair, they sold a Jamdani shari for over Tk 1,00,000, which took months to weave.

He highlighted the need for better promotional platforms for small industries and noted that visitor turnout at fairs remained low, impacting overall sales.

Alongside Jamdani, the fair also featured handloom garments and handicrafts from different regions of the country.

Opi, owner of Cumilla Silk stall Karukaj Shoili, said that this was her business’ first time participating in a fair, although they primarily sold products online and in their showroom.

Their handcrafted two-piece and three-piece outfits were priced between Tk 800 and Tk 1,200, while sharis ranged from Tk 2,500 to Tk 3,000.

He said that the stall had been generating average daily sales of around Tk 15,000 during the fair.

At another stall, colourful Manipuri sharis were on display. 

Owner Sadia Sultana, who travelled from Sreemangal to participate in the event, said that she initially started by sourcing sharis but later established her own loom in 2016.

She said that setting up or hiring a loom required an investment of about Tk 3,50,000. Sharis at her stall are currently priced between Tk 1,600 and Tk 6,000.

Meanwhile, a vendor at the Jessore Silk stall said that their most notable sale at the fair so far was a nakshi kantha worth Tk 12,000.

Other items at the stall were priced between Tk 2,000 and Tk 15,000, with total sales reaching around Tk 30,000 so far.