Bangladeshi Banarasi weavers face tough times
Handloom weaver weaves Banarasi saree on a traditional wooden hand weaving loom at Mirpur Banarasi Palli, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Business in Mirpur Banarasi Palli, a market place well-known for different kinds of traditional Banarasi Sarees in Bangladesh, is facing tough times. People, who used to go there to purchase the famous Banarasi sarees, are increasingly opting for trendy Indian sarees. The popularity of these custom-made sarees is losing its charm as colourful Indian chic sarees are more in demand among local buyers. The Benarasi saree, whose history dates back to the Mughal rule in the 16th century, has its origin in Benaras, a northern Indian city. In Bangladesh, Muslims who migrated from Benaras, started making Benarasi sarees in Mohammadpur and Mirpur in Dhaka since 1950. The tradition of making these sarees passed on from one generation to the other. This art was revived soon after the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 when about 370 non-Bengali families from Benaras, presently Varanasi, came to Bangladesh. Among them, about 200 families settled in the Mirpur area of Dhaka and started making Benarasi sarees.
