Jamdani, one of the country’s finest textiles, has received registration as Bangladesh’s first Geographical Indication (GI) product.
Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu handed over the registration certificate to Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) chairman Mustak Hassan Md Iftekhar at a programme on Thursday at the Industries Ministry.
Jamdani, popularly known as Dhakai Jamdani or Dhakai, got the registration from the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (DPDT) under the Industries Ministry following an application from BSCIC, said an official handout.
“Jamdani is the one among several products from Bangladesh that are familiar across the globe. It is the fifth edition of Bangali’s traditional product Muslin,” the minister Amir Hossain Amu said at the function.
With the GI registration, Bangladesh made another step forward in protection of its traditional products, he added.
Other products, such as Hilsha, will also get the GI registration soon, Amu said.
The historic production of Jamdani was patronised by imperial warrant of the Mughal emperors. The term Jamdani is Persian, derived from ‘Jam’, meaning flower, and ‘Dani’, as in vase or a container, named after decorative floral patterns found on Dhakai textile.
After Jamdani, the government has taken up initiatives to gain GI registration for Hilsha. The Department of Fisheries had recently formally applied to the DPDT to make this happen, and it is currently in process.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), a GI is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin, such as a town, region, or a country.
The use of a GI may also act as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, is made according to traditional methods, or enjoys a certain reputation, due to its geographical origin.
The GI enables those who have the authorisation to prevent its use by a third party, whose product does not conform to the applicable standards.
source: dhaka tribune
