Bangladesh strives to revive near-extinct Mughal-era muslin

The Star

27-06-2025

FILE PHOTO: In this picture taken on January 8, 2022, a weaver uses a handloom to make traditional muslin garments at the Dhakai Muslin Project facility in Narayanganj. - AFP
DHAKA: Bangladesh is undertaking a national effort to revive its legendary Dhaka muslin fabric, once hailed as "woven air" for its ethereal lightness and intricate craftsmanship during the Mughal era.
The tradition of Dhaka muslin weaving, which was exported worldwide, from the Middle East to Europe, vanished nearly two centuries ago due to colonial suppression and the extinction of the rare cotton plant Phuti Karpas.
Fortunately, it is now the focus of a determined revival project. Authorities have successfully rediscovered and cultivated Phuti Karpas, a native species once grown exclusively in the Dhaka region.
"This project officially began at the end of 2018," said Md. Ayub Ali, project director of the Reviving the Technology of Muslin. He told Xinhua recently that the first phase of the project focused on restoring Dhaka muslin sarees by rediscovering their yarn and fabric-making techniques, as well as reviving the cultivation of Phuti Karpas, the key ingredient of Dhaka muslin.
He noted that the team has successfully reproduced yarn with a 750 thread count, and that local artisans are now being trained to master the traditional techniques used to create muslin sarees.
Officials said both artisans and researchers have painstakingly worked to relearn the incredibly complex spinning and weaving techniques required to produce authentic muslin. This involves spinning ultra-fine yarns historically reaching 300-500 or more and weaving them on traditional handlooms.
Weavers carried out this task with their supple fingers and enviable eyesight. Achia Begum, one of the project's weavers, described the challenges of working with such delicate yarn.
"We used to rub garlic on our hands at night to keep them soft in the morning, so we could handle the fine threads more easily," she said, adding "the cotton yarn is so soft and thin. so that this work requires enormous patience."
Begum said that "I feel proud to be part of reviving something I've only heard about since childhood and read about in books."
Mohsina Akhter, now a supervisor at the Dhaka muslin weaving center, said it took her two years to learn the technique. After excelling during training, she became both a trainer and a supervisor.
"I trained 11 new weavers, many of whom had never seen muslin before. It was difficult, but now they can all work independently," she said.
The Bangladesh Handloom Board (BHB), under the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, plays a key role in funding the revival project, as well as overseeing cultivation, research and training programmes.
BHB Chairman Abu Ahmed Siddique said, "muslin has deep historical roots, dating back to the Middle Ages. Dhaka cotton was famous worldwide, and our weavers were once prosperous. But British colonisation, mass production of yarn and restrictive trade policies devastated the industry."
Siddique emphasised two key reasons for reviving muslin.
"Firstly, we want to dig out our history and to revive our history," Siddique said, saying "It is a very glorious history of Dhaka and Bangladesh. Still Bangladesh is thriving in exporting garments. So why don't we dig out and restore our history and let the world know what kind of sophistication was available in this part."
"Secondly, we are looking for fusion so that we can involve our investors and our modern technology with the ancient one," he said.
The second phase began in 2023, focusing on conducting extensive research to ensure the sustainability of the revived muslin production process and to promote the private sector's participation.
Siddique noted that muslin was never confined to the elite, it was worn by people of all classes.
"Now, we are working to revive the original muslin and let the world rediscover its elegance," he said. - Xinhua