Under the initiative of the Bangladesh Handloom Board and supported by the Bengal Foundation, a nine-day exhibition and fair celebrating the “Handloom Tradition of Bangladesh” is being held from 8 to 16 March 2026 at Bengal Shilpalay, Dhanmondi.
The event features a curated exhibition at the Quamrul Hassan Exhibition Gallery (Level 1), showcasing the heritage of handloom textiles. Simultaneously, a fair at Level 4 hosts stalls featuring diverse handloom products. Both the exhibition and fair are open daily from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Highlights and Demonstrations:

• Dhakai Muslin: The hand-spinning of Phuti Karpas cotton yarn and live demonstrations of weaving
• Revival: Showcasing revived Dhakai Muslin sarees and scarves alongside the original cotton plants and seeds.
• Heritage Textiles: A display of iconic Jamdani and Tangail sarees, including Bangladesh’s Geographical Indication (GI) registered products.
• Textile Science: The life cycle of silk, historical documents, yarn-dyeing techniques, and traditional machinery.
To support artisans, 15 specialized stalls will offer direct-to-consumer sales from weavers. Visitors can purchase authentic Jamdani, Katan, Manipuri, and Tangail sarees; Sirajganj lungis; Cumilla Khadi; Kumarkhali bedsheets; Rajshahi Silk; and tribal attire from the Hill Districts.

Inaugural Ceremony: The ceremony took place on Sunday, 8 March 2026, at 12:00 PM, Level 7, Bengal Shilpalay.
Mr. Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, MP, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Textiles and Jute, was the Chief Guest, while Mr. Md. Shariful Alam, MP, Hon’ble State Minister, Ministry of Textiles and Jute, was present as the Special Guest. The inaugural session was chaired by Ms. Bilquis Jahan Rimi, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles and Jute.

Schedule & Venues
The Handloom Tradition of Bangladesh
Exhibition and Fair
8 to 16 March 2026
Inaugural ceremony: 8 March 2026 at 12:00 PM, Level 7
Exhibition: Quamrul Hassan Exhibition Gallery, Level 1
Fair: Level 4
Visiting Hours: Daily from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Location: Bengal Shilpalay, House 42, Road 27, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209

Curatorial Note
For at least two and a half millennia, Bangladesh earned global renown for a singular craft: weaving. This land was once hailed as the ‘Loom of the World.’ Bengali weavers supplied a significant portion of the global demand for textiles; beyond mere production, they demonstrated an exquisite aesthetic sensibility and extraordinary artistry in both weaving excellence and design. This legacy continues to endure, to some extent, even today. The primary objective of this exhibition is to introduce visitors to the golden past of Bangladesh’s weaving industry. We have presented a curated selection of archival materials, including archaeological evidence, literary sources, paintings, and photographs, which we hope will help audiences understand the thousand-year history and heritage of this craft.
However, the defining feature of this exhibition is the ‘living’ presentation of various tools, technologies, and techniques used in weaving – elements that often spark curiosity in urban spaces but are rarely seen firsthand. For instance, as part of the Bangladesh Handloom Board’s recent Muslin recovery project, the long-lost ‘Phuti Karpas’ (cotton) was rediscovered. Fine yarn was spun from it using hand-operated spinning wheels (charkas), and new Muslin has been woven from that yarn. The story of this Muslin revival is undoubtedly a highlight of this exhibition. Additionally, we have included a curated selection of traditional textiles currently produced across different regions of Bangladesh.
This exhibition is an initiative that seeks to bridge the thousand-year history and heritage of Bangladeshi weaving with national policymakers, contemporary consumers, researchers, artists, cultural workers, entrepreneurs, and, above all, the general public.

– Shawon Akand