Jamdani and the GI tag

JAMDANI, a surviving variety of muslin, is part of Dhaka's heritage. UNESCO agrees. In 2013, the traditional art of Jamdani weaving has was included on UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.   
Nevertheless, India had registered for the geographical indication (GI) for 'Uppada Jamdani' (Uppada is a region in India).   
When a certain product is associated with a particular geographic location and enjoys a reputation for being from that region and when the product is made according to its traditional methods, that product can be registered for GI.  
“In order to apply for GI, a country needs to have its own GI law first, which Bangladesh lacked before,” Ruby Ghuznavi, vice president of National Crafts Council of Bangladesh (NCCB) informed. “After lobbying the government and creating awareness among various ministries about the urgency and importance of the matter, Bangladesh finally has the Geographical Indicative Products (Registration and Protection) Act 2013.”
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and NCCB are now working on the operational issues related to this Act.
On 17 June, 2014 CPD and NCCB organised a Dialogue on Protecting Geographic Indication Products in the Context of Bangladesh and Way Forward, at CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka.
In this dialogue, a research paper, called Protection of Jamdani as a Geographical Indication in Bangladesh, was presented and discussed. This paper has been prepared by Dr. Iftekhar Iqbal, Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Dhaka and prepared under a collaborative initiative of the two aforementioned organisations.
The seminar consisted of a group of experts from different fields who spoke about the protection of Jamdani from their relevant backgrounds.
“India, under its national legal framework made the relevant GI regulations and registered Uppada Jamdani. But on the global framework, the World Trade Organization is yet to recognise it,” informed Dr. Iqbal. “Once we get our legal framework functioning, we will register Jamdani, which will give us a platform to fight back.”    
As you flip through the pages of the research paper or had you attended the discussion, it would become clear why Dhaka is the only eligible region of GI for Jamdani. From several historical accounts pointing out muslin and Jamdani as a hallmark of Dhaka to the ecological rationale regarding the choice of the locations selected for the production of such fabrics, little doubt remains about the origins of this heritage weave.
Experts say we must not use the term 'Dhakai Jamdani'. Using the prefix 'Dhakai' makes Jamdani vulnerable to misuse by other regions. Jamdani is a unique product produced in Dhaka, but if we add 'Dhakai' to it, other cities, countries et al might put their desired prefix before Jamdani and try to capture a piece of the pie.
As a matter of fact, a recent UNESCO publication about Jamdani has been named 'Dhakai Jamdani' and the government of Bangladesh has requested to make the necessary correction.
And once the GI Act is made operational, we will claim for the GI. Jamdani is ours, and we must stand firm on this issue.

Photo: Star Lifestyle Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed