Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Fellow Devapriya Bhattacharya said India made Tangail saree its Geographical Indication (GI) product based on half-truths and misleading information. They resorted to cheating while claiming the GI for this saree. Bangladesh should file a case in their court within three months.

He made the statement at a seminar titled 'Recognition of Tangail Sarees as a GI Product of West Bengal: Process, Situation and Actions of Bangladesh' at the CPD office in Dhanmondi of the capital.

Debapriya Bhattacharya said, half-truths and misleading information have been supplied by India while claiming Tangail saree as its own Geographical Indication (GI) product. Bangladesh should quickly file a case in the court there. India's own GI Act has scope for that case.

Pointing out various inconsistencies in the GI application of Tangail saree in India, he said, it is said that during the Partition, the Tantubaya community of Hindus from Tangail left the country and went to different areas of West Bengal. They are involved in making this saree. In fact, not only Hindus, but many Muslim communities have been making these sarees in the Tangail region for a long time. And in fact, Muslims are more involved in the production of this saree than Hindus.

The CPD fellow also said that the GI recognition of a product involves its geographical origin, quality and safety issues. Many of the people involved in making Tangail sarees left for West Bengal during the Partition. But the geographical identity of this saree cannot be changed.

Debapriya Bhattacharya said, as per India's GI Act, objections must be made within three months. Now Bangladesh should go to Indian court and file a case within three months. The arguments on which India made the Tangail saree a GI are not based on facts. They will not last in the wash. In this case, Bangladesh has a heavy weight. But it must be used.

After GI recognition of Tangail sarees was given to India, the concerned departments of the government were shaken. After that, the Tangail district administration quickly applied for the GI of the saree on February 6. And after receiving it, the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (DPDT) sent it to BG Press for approval of gazette on the same day.

Criticising such haste, Debapriya Bhattacharya said that the application for registration of Tangail saree as a GI product in India has been made in 2020. Four years have passed since then. This information was on the website itself. But what did our relevant departments do so far? Not only the government, but also the business groups did not raise any questions. It is our ignorance and failure. But the way it is now claimed to have been hastily given GI is unfounded. In such a hurry, we can make mistakes again.

Bangladesh and India have some similar and identical products. Debapriya Bhattacharya also claimed that Bangladesh should proceed cautiously with the GI of these products.

Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of CPD conducted the seminar.