Handloom fair begins in Dhaka on March 8

A 10-day exhibition and fair celebrating Bangladesh’s traditional handloom industry will be held from March 8 to March 17, 2026, at the Bengal Foundation.

Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, minister for textiles and jute, is expected to inaugurate the event as chief guest, according to a press release.

The Bangladesh Handloom Board with support from the Bengal Foundation will organise the fair.

It will remain open to visitors from 12:00pm (noon) to 9:00pm throughout the event.

A total of 15 stalls will be set up to facilitate the direct sale of products manufactured by marginal weavers to consumers.

The products on display will include Jamdani, Katan, Manipuri and Tangail sarees; lungis and gamchas from Sirajganj; Khadi from Cumilla; bedsheets from Kumarkhali in Kushtia; Rajshahi silk; and traditional attire from the hill districts.

Visitors will not only have the opportunity to purchase products but also gain insight into the rich heritage of Bangladesh’s handloom sector.

Highlights of the exhibition will include hand-spun Dhakai Muslin yarn made from Phuti Karpas cotton -- the historic raw material of the famed Dhakai Muslin -- along with demonstrations of yarn winding and the weaving process.

Recovered Dhakai Muslin sarees and scarves, samples of Phuti Karpas cotton, seeds and plants, as well as approximately 150-year-old Jamdani and Tangail sarees, will also be showcased.

In addition, geographical indication (GI)-registered handloom products, the life cycle of silk, historical documents and archaeological evidence related to Bangladesh’s handloom industry, narratives of yarn-making, various natural dyes and different types of handloom machinery will be displayed at the fair.

Md Shariful Alam, state minister for textiles and jute, and Bilquis Jahan Rimi, secretary to the ministry, among others, are also expected to attend the event.