Muslin Seminar
Sonia Ashmore and Saiful Islam at the Muslin Seminar held at the BNM
A series of seminars and discussions were held at the Bangladesh National Museum during the opening week of the Muslin Festival (6 -12 February, 2016). National and international experts, senior policy-makers and many artesans came together to share their ideas and experiences in a lively and constructive exchange of views. Four broad themes, focussed on muslin’s future, emerged out of the discussions.
- Instituting policies that would help to revive muslin at the national level;
- Restore its heritage by communicating muslin’s history widely;
- Conduct research into the production challenges, i.e. cultivation, spinning and weaving;
- Investigate ways of introducing ‘New Muslin’ into contemporary designs;
Each theme was led by a senior official of the government who brought policy experience to the discussions. Presentations by experts such as Ruby Pal Chowdhury from Artesana, India, Darshan Shah of Weavers Studio, India, Rosemary Crill and Sonia Ashmore, V&A Museum, UK, Ruby Ghuznavi, Aranya, Hameeda Hossain, NCCB and Dr. Fariduddin Ahmed, BCDB, and others from Bangladesh brought experience, knowledge and impetus to the project.
Bengal Muslin’s research into the history of the fabric and its connection with Bangladesh, the phuti karpas and its DNA testing schedule, the manufacturing techniques re-invented to suit the fine yarn and our plans for the future were all shared with the audience.
It was evident from the enthusiastic, well-attended events that Bengal Muslin’s efforts to revive our lost heritage was welcomed and hugely appreciated. Later, in 2018, the Bangladesh Handloom Board formed a separate project to revive muslin, whose results have yet to be shared with a wider audience.
– Dr. Fariduddin Ahmed, Executive Director, Cotton Development Board, Bangladesh.
