Benarasi Palli

Bengali women have great affinity for Benarasi saree for its fine silk fabric and traditional designs, and its overall high position among sarees. A traditional Bangladeshi wedding would not be complete without the bride and female guests wearing Benarasi or katan sarees in bright colours, with intricate embroidery in gold or silver. Benarasi Palli in the capital’s Mirpur area is a popular shopping place where you can find all types of the famous saree. But customer choice has been changing in recent times, and weavers and retailers are trying their best to keep up with the latest trends. Besides, the younger generation is increasingly leaving their traditional family business and opting for better-paying jobs.

The Weekend Independent talked to some weavers, loom owners, shopkeepers, exporters and officials about the present condition and future of the Benarasi industry in our country.  

One afternoon recently, Naznin Bizli, 46, was seen talking to some weavers at ‘Bihari camp’ near Benarasi Palli. “Benarasi saree from Mirpur Benarasi Palli is my first choice for any occasion. I have come here to get some sarees for the upcoming wedding of my son,” Bizli, who had come all the way from Sylhet and was staying at her son-in-law’s house at Mirpur, told this correspondent.

About 4,000 families, who are mostly Urdu-speaking migrants from India, reside at the ‘Bihari camp’, a shanty town adjacent to Benarasi Palli. One of them, Abu Bakkar, 25, was busy working at his wooden loom at a tin-shed factory in Benarasi Palli.

“When I started doing this work eight years ago, I had no other means of earning a living. About 85 percent of the people here were doing this work then. But the new generation is losing interest in weaving because they see no future in it. They are now going to school and of course, they will choose different professions,” Bakkar said.

Weavers are not getting proper wages these days, rued some. Masud Sheikh, 40, said: “Now, RMG (readymade garments) workers get paid more than us. We have to work hard, often from 6am to midnight, for just Tk 400 a day. So, it is really difficult for us to meet our daily expenditures. The prices of raw materials, like silk threads, have increased manifold. We make bridal Benarasi sarees. We do everything on our handlooms. At least four days are required for each saree. But it depends on the design of the saree. There are some sarees that require nearly 30 days.”

Sheikh, who has been a weaver for 20 years, continued about his work: “We use raw materials that have been imported from (South) Korea, China and Taiwan. Indian sarees are coming here at random. That is why we are facing problems. The quality of our product is good, but the production cost is high. Majority of customers demand goods at the minimum price. So, they go for cheaper Indian products.”

Women loom workers are also slowly diverting towards other sources of income. Rawshan Ara Begum, 40, who winds threads onto spindles for the looms, said: “I came here work about 20 years ago. At the time, there were many women working in this place. Now, I am the only woman working here.”

According to some local businesses, customers who come there often compare Mirpur Benarasi sarees to Indian ones, and finally, go for the Indian sarees. Fashion trends on Indian satellite TV shows have been creating a great impact on the minds of younger customers, some shopkeepers complained.   

About the present situation of the local Benarasi market, Abul Kashem, general secretary of Benarasi Palli Shop Owners’ Association (BPSOA) and proprietor of Dia Saree, said: “If customers have a budge of Tk 20,000, they come to us. If they have Tk 50,000 or more, they go to India (for shopping). But the same kind of high quality, locally-made, sarees are available in our shop. People think such luxurious sarees couldn’t possibly be made here. But I can ensure you, our weavers are experts and they can make any saree, according to the design. If we know the preference of the customers, we show them the type of saree they want.  Sometimes, we may sell Bangladesh sarees as Indian ones to satisfy their desire. There are many shops here that have good collections of Mirpur Benarasi sarees, but they sell them as Indian sarees, as that’s what many want.”

“The demand for Mirpur Benarasi sarees started increasing after the Liberation War. It was at its peak during the 1980s. At the beginning, there were many looms. Now, the number of looms is decreasing, but the number of shops is increasing.  However, our young people are showing less and less interest in the weaving business and seeking out other jobs,” Kashem, 48, added.

About the prices and types of sarees and other outfits available at Benarasi Palli, the BPSOA official, said: “The price of different types of sarees include kanjivaram (Kanchipuram) katan Tk 10,000-Tk 25,000; pure katan buti Tk 7,000-Tk 25,000, silk katan Tk 1,000-Tk 5,500, khadi katan Tk 10,000-Tk 20,000, georgette katan Tk 6,000-Tk 9,000, bridal Benarasi Tk 5,000 to Tk 35,000, bridal Benarasi with hand embroidery Tk 10,000 to Tk 40,000, Dhakai jamdani Tk  2,000-Tk 6,000, Tangail tant (cotton) Tk 600 to Tk 2,500, bridal lehenga (long skirt and top set) Tk 10,000 to Tk 60,000 and children’s lehenga Tk 2,000 to Tk 3,500.”

Maloti Rani Sutradhar, 36, who was shopping with her husband at Dia Saree, said: “I always prefer Benarasi saree which is made here in Mirpur Benarasi Palli. Besides, I will also buy some katan for everyday wear.”

This correspondent met an Indian businessman who was visiting his relatives at Mirpur. M Anees, 47, a weaver and exporter of Benarasi saree from Varanasi, also known as Benares, the Indian city where the famous saree originated, said: “Our weavers are getting everything (raw materials) in their own country. But here in Bangladesh, they have to import everything from other countries. That is why they are facing some difficulty. But of course, the quality of Benarasi saree from Mirpur is better than ours, and you can find Bangladeshi Benarasi sarees in many shops in our country.”

Some of the weavers and factory owners at Mirpur came to Dhaka with their families in 1965 from Varanasi. One of them is Shamim Akhtar. The 55-year-old factory owner, said: “My parents set up a loom at Mirpur in 1966, and from then on we are in this business. Our products are better than those from India as we use materials from Korea and China, and they are also exclusive with so many varieties, like ‘opera’ katan, ‘pocket’ katan, ‘kotki’ katan, jamdani, kanjivaram, and others.”

About the history of the Palli, Akhtar continued: “In 1947, during partition of India and Pakistan, about 350 Muslim weavers and their families migrated to then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) from Varanasi. Though these families were settled at different places at first, they started living at Mirpur after liberation in 1971. And through their combined efforts, Mirpur Benarasi Palli was established. People from Varanasi (in India’s Uttar Pradesh state) are called Benaras people. The special silk saree from Varanasi is called Benarasi saree.”

“In 1965, our grandfather, along with 300 other families, came to Dhaka for trading purposes, and they realised the great potential of doing business here. Two local residents of Puran Dhaka, Hafiz M Raza and Hazi Nijam Uddin of Becharam Dewri at Malitola, helped them to set up looms there and provided them with other facilities. At that time, Mirpur was a cheaper area on the outskirts of Dhaka. The Old Town, then the main city, was too expensive for them. So, they gradually moved to Mirpur from Puran Dhaka. Finally, the Mirpur Benarasi Palli was well established. From 1965 to 1971, there were about 1,050 factories there. After the Liberation War, many of the migrants returned to Varanasi and some went to Pakistan. Some of the weavers remained, but only a few of them are working in the family business. Our children are studying now; my only son is a computer engineer,” he added.

About the challenges they are facing to carry on their family tradition, Akhtar shared: “We have many problems. The main problem is the easy availability of Indian sarees here. On the other hand, Bangladesh Handloom Board (BHB) promised to give us individual plots, but they have not taken any visible action in this regard. The board is providing loans for weavers. But sometimes ‘fake’ weavers get the loans, and thus, many genuine and poor weavers are deprived of funds. In the Bihari camp area, our factories and looms get submerged after heavy rains. We have informed the matter several times to BHB, but they are yet to take any action.”

Shafiul Ahsan, who deals in sarees, emphasised on patriotism and pride in local products to preserve the tradition of Mirpur Benarasi. “If the authorities control the import of Indian Benarasi sarees, we will survive, otherwise not. We have to change our outlook. Instead of going to India, we have to turn towards our local products, with increased patriotic zeal,” the 45-year-old businessman said.

Regarding development plans for Mirpur Benarasi Palli and alleged fraud in loan disbursement, M Ayub Ali, chief of planning and implementation at Bangladesh Handloom Board, told The Independent Weekend over telephone: “There is a committee at Mirpur who give us the names of weavers. After checking the details, we provide them with loans. We provide minimum loan of Tk 6,000 to weavers who have only one loom; and a maximum amount of Tk 300,000 for those who have up to five looms or more. We adopted a plan in 1988 to relocate Mirpur Benarasi Palli to Bhasantek (in another part of Mirpur) and bought 40 acres of land there. But till date, we have only managed to acquire three acres. The government has taken a plan to establish ‘loom zones’ at Shibchar in Madaripur and Zajira in Shariatpur on 120 acres of land. This project is underway and we will move those who have no land at Mirpur Benarasi Palli there.”

Photos: Mahmud Zaman,

Chinmoy Karmokar.

Benarasi Palli

Bengali women have great affinity for Benarasi saree for its fine silk fabric and traditional designs, and its overall high position among sarees. A traditional Bangladeshi wedding would not be complete without the bride and female guests wearing Benarasi or katan sarees in bright colours, with intricate embroidery in gold or silver. Benarasi Palli in the capitals Mirpur area is a popular shopping place where you can find all types of the famous saree. But customer choice has been changing in recent times, and weavers and retailers are trying their best to keep up with the latest trends. Besides, the younger generation is increasingly leaving their traditional family business and opting for better-paying jobs. The Weekend Independent talked to some weavers, loom owners, shopkeepers, exporters and officials about the present condition and future of the Benarasi industry in our country. One afternoon recently, Naznin Bizli, 46, was seen talking to some weavers at Bihari camp near Benarasi Palli. Benarasi saree from Mirpur Benarasi Palli is my first choice for any occasion. I have come here to get some sarees for the upcoming wedding of my son, Bizli, who had come all the way from Sylhet and was staying at her son-in-laws house at Mirpur, told this correspondent. About 4,000 families, who are mostly Urdu-speaking migrants from India, reside at the Bihari camp, a shanty town adjacent to Benarasi Palli. One of them, Abu Bakkar, 25, was busy working at his wooden loom at a tin-shed factory in Benarasi Palli. When I started doing this work eight years ago, I had no other means of earning a living. About 85 percent of the people here were doing this work then. But the new generation is losing interest in weaving because they see no future in it. They are now going to school and of course, they will choose different professions, Bakkar said. Weavers are not getting proper wages these days, rued some. Masud Sheikh, 40, said: Now, RMG (readymade garments) workers get paid more than us. We have to work hard, often from 6am to midnight, for just Tk 400 a day. So, it is really difficult for us to meet our daily expenditures. The prices of raw materials, like silk threads, have increased manifold. We make bridal Benarasi sarees. We do everything on our handlooms. At least four days are required for each saree. But it depends on the design of the saree. There are some sarees that require nearly 30 days. Sheikh, who has been a weaver for 20 years, continued about his work: We use raw materials that have been imported from (South) Korea, China and Taiwan. Indian sarees are coming here at random. That is why we are facing problems. The quality of our product is good, but the production cost is high. Majority of customers demand goods at the minimum price. So, they go for cheaper Indian products. Women loom workers are also slowly diverting towards other sources of income. Rawshan Ara Begum, 40, who winds threads onto spindles for the looms, said: I came here work about 20 years ago. At the time, there were many women working in this place. Now, I am the only woman working here. According to some local businesses, customers who come there often compare Mirpur Benarasi sarees to Indian ones, and finally, go for the Indian sarees. Fashion trends on Indian satellite TV shows have been creating a great impact on the minds of younger customers, some shopkeepers complained. About the present situation of the local Benarasi market, Abul Kashem, general secretary of Benarasi Palli Shop Owners Association (BPSOA) and proprietor of Dia Saree, said: If customers have a budge of Tk 20,000, they come to us. If they have Tk 50,000 or more, they go to India (for shopping). But the same kind of high quality, locally-made, sarees are available in our shop. People think such luxurious sarees couldnt possibly be made here. But I can ensure you, our weavers are experts and they can make any saree, according to the design. If we know the preference of the customers, we show them the type of saree they want. Sometimes, we may sell Bangladesh sarees as Indian ones to satisfy their desire. There are many shops here that have good collections of Mirpur Benarasi sarees, but they sell them as Indian sarees, as thats what many want. The demand for Mirpur Benarasi sarees started increasing after the Liberation War. It was at its peak during the 1980s. At the beginning, there were many looms. Now, the number of looms is decreasing, but the number of shops is increasing. However, our young people are showing less and less interest in the weaving business and seeking out other jobs, Kashem, 48, added. About the prices and types of sarees and other outfits available at Benarasi Palli, the BPSOA official, said: The price of different types of sarees include kanjivaram (Kanchipuram) katan Tk 10,000-Tk 25,000; pure katan buti Tk 7,000-Tk 25,000, silk katan Tk 1,000-Tk 5,500, khadi katan Tk 10,000-Tk 20,000, georgette katan Tk 6,000-Tk 9,000, bridal Benarasi Tk 5,000 to Tk 35,000, bridal Benarasi with hand embroidery Tk 10,000 to Tk 40,000, Dhakai jamdani Tk 2,000-Tk 6,000, Tangail tant (cotton) Tk 600 to Tk 2,500, bridal lehenga (long skirt and top set) Tk 10,000 to Tk 60,000 and childrens lehenga Tk 2,000 to Tk 3,500. Maloti Rani Sutradhar, 36, who was shopping with her husband at Dia Saree, said: I always prefer Benarasi saree which is made here in Mirpur Benarasi Palli. Besides, I will also buy some katan for everyday wear. This correspondent met an Indian businessman who was visiting his relatives at Mirpur. M Anees, 47, a weaver and exporter of Benarasi saree from Varanasi, also known as Benares, the Indian city where the famous saree originated, said: Our weavers are getting everything (raw materials) in their own country. But here in Bangladesh, they have to import everything from other countries. That is why they are facing some difficulty. But of course, the quality of Benarasi saree from Mirpur is better than ours, and you can find Bangladeshi Benarasi sarees in many shops in our country. Some of the weavers and factory owners at Mirpur came to Dhaka with their families in 1965 from Varanasi. One of them is Shamim Akhtar. The 55-year-old factory owner, said: My parents set up a loom at Mirpur in 1966, and from then on we are in this business. Our products are better than those from India as we use materials from Korea and China, and they are also exclusive with so many varieties, like opera katan, pocket katan, kotki katan, jamdani, kanjivaram, and others. About the history of the Palli, Akhtar continued: In 1947, during partition of India and Pakistan, about 350 Muslim weavers and their families migrated to then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) from Varanasi. Though these families were settled at different places at first, they started living at Mirpur after liberation in 1971. And through their combined efforts, Mirpur Benarasi Palli was established. People from Varanasi (in Indias Uttar Pradesh state) are called Benaras people. The special silk saree from Varanasi is called Benarasi saree. In 1965, our grandfather, along with 300 other families, came to Dhaka for trading purposes, and they realised the great potential of doing business here. Two local residents of Puran Dhaka, Hafiz M Raza and Hazi Nijam Uddin of Becharam Dewri at Malitola, helped them to set up looms there and provided them with other facilities. At that time, Mirpur was a cheaper area on the outskirts of Dhaka. The Old Town, then the main city, was too expensive for them. So, they gradually moved to Mirpur from Puran Dhaka. Finally, the Mirpur Benarasi Palli was well established. From 1965 to 1971, there were about 1,050 factories there. After the Liberation War, many of the migrants returned to Varanasi and some went to Pakistan. Some of the weavers remained, but only a few of them are working in the family business. Our children are studying now; my only son is a computer engineer, he added. About the challenges they are facing to carry on their family tradition, Akhtar shared: We have many problems. The main problem is the easy availability of Indian sarees here. On the other hand, Bangladesh Handloom Board (BHB) promised to give us individual plots, but they have not taken any visible action in this regard. The board is providing loans for weavers. But sometimes fake weavers get the loans, and thus, many genuine and poor weavers are deprived of funds. In the Bihari camp area, our factories and looms get submerged after heavy rains. We have informed the matter several times to BHB, but they are yet to take any action. Shafiul Ahsan, who deals in sarees, emphasised on patriotism and pride in local products to preserve the tradition of Mirpur Benarasi. If the authorities control the import of Indian Benarasi sarees, we will survive, otherwise not. We have to change our outlook. Instead of going to India, we have to turn towards our local products, with increased patriotic zeal, the 45-year-old businessman said. Regarding development plans for Mirpur Benarasi Palli and alleged fraud in loan disbursement, M Ayub Ali, chief of planning and implementation at Bangladesh Handloom Board, told The Independent Weekend over telephone: There is a committee at Mirpur who give us the names of weavers. After checking the details, we provide them with loans. We provide minimum loan of Tk 6,000 to weavers who have only one loom; and a maximum amount of Tk 300,000 for those who have up to five looms or more. We adopted a plan in 1988 to relocate Mirpur Benarasi Palli to Bhasantek (in another part of Mirpur) and bought 40 acres of land there. But till date, we have only managed to acquire three acres. The government has taken a plan to establish loom zones at Shibchar in Madaripur and Zajira in Shariatpur on 120 acres of land. This project is underway and we will move those who have no land at Mirpur Benarasi Palli there. Photos: Mahmud Zaman, Chinmoy Karmokar.