Rajshahi silk is the name given to the silk products produced in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is famous because it is a high quality fabric used for clothing, especially for saris. [1] [2] In 2021, it was given Geographical indication status as a product of Bangladesh. [3]
Records date the beginning of silk production in the region to the 13th century. It was then known as Bengal silk or Ganges silk. [4] The government of Pakistan started silk production in Rajshahi in 1952. [5] The Rajshahi Silk Factory was a state owned factory which was founded in 1961. In 1978 it was handed over to the Bangladesh Sericulture Development Board. Since then it has been making a loss. It was closed down on 30 November 2002. [6] Before 2002 300 tonnes of strings were produced by this factory. In 2011 it was only 50 tonnes. [5] In 2011 the finance minister of Bangladesh, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, [7] expressed interest in reopening the Rajshahi silk factory but the Privatisation Commission refused on the grounds that it was a loss making concern. [8]
Rajshahi silk is like all other kinds of silk made from the cocoons of silkworms. The very thin fibers resulting from this process are covered with sericin, a special protein. [9] There are mainly three varieties of silks:
Among these varieties, Mulberry silk is the finest and is therefore the most valuable.
Clothes like Saris made out of Rajshahi silk are highly popular all over Bangladesh. [9] Rajshahi silk is also sold as fabric to designers and is available in different colours and designs.
In 2011 there were seven silk factories and the Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute in Rajshahi. Most of the silk of Bangladesh is produced by the region's sericulture. [5] Approximately 100,000 people are directly or indirectly employed in this sector. Rajshahi Silk Industry and Factory Labourers' Union represent the workers in the silk industry. [10]
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity (sericulture). The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre, which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles, thus producing different colors.
Sericulture, or silk farming, is the cultivation of silkworms to produce silk. Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, the caterpillar of the domestic silkmoth is the most widely used and intensively studied silkworm. Silk was believed to have first been produced in China as early as the Neolithic period. Sericulture has become an important cottage industry in countries such as Brazil, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Russia. Today, China and India are the two main producers, with more than 60% of the world's annual production.
Rajshahi is a metropolitan city and a major urban, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous division and district. Located on the north bank of the Padma River, near the Bangladesh-India border, the city is surrounded by the satellite towns of Nowhata and Katakhali, which together build an urban agglomeration of about 1 million population. Modern Rajshahi lies in the ancient region of Pundravardhana. The foundation of the city dates to 1634, according to epigraphic records at the mausoleum of Sufi saint Shah Makhdum. The area hosted a Dutch settlement in the 18th century. The Rajshahi municipality was constituted during the British Raj in 1876. It was a divisional capital of the greater Rajshahi division which was the largest division in Bengal Province.
Jamdani is a fine muslin textile produced for centuries in South Rupshi of Narayanganj district in Bangladesh on the bank of Shitalakhwa river.
Rajshahi District is a district in mid-western Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rajshahi Division. The metropolitan city of Rajshahi is in Rajshahi District.
Karnataka produces 9,000 metric tons of mulberry silk of a total of 20,000 metric tons of mulberry silk produced in the country, thus contributing to nearly 45% of the country's total mulberry silk. In Karnataka, silk is mainly produced in the Mysore district. It is a patent registered product under KSIC. KSIC is an owner of the Mysore Silk brand.
The culture of Bengal defines the cultural heritage of the Bengalis or Bangali people native to eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, mainly what is today the independent state of Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam and Jharkhand, where the Bengali (Bangla) language is the national, the official and the additional official language. The Bengal has a recorded history of 3,100 years.
The production of silk originated in Neolithic China within the Yangshao culture. Though it would later reach other places in the world, the art of silk production remained confined to China until the Silk Road opened at 114 BC, though China maintained its virtual monopoly over silk production for another thousand years. The use of silk within China was not confined to clothing alone, and silk was used for a number of applications, such as writing. Within clothing, the color of silk worn also held social importance, and formed an important guide of social class during the Tang dynasty.
Thai silk is produced from the cocoons of Thai silkworms. Thailand's silkworm farmers cultivate both types of the domesticated silkworms that produce commercial silk: Samia ricini, commonly known as the eri silkworm, which produces matte eri silk, and the Bombyx mori, producer of the better known, glossy mulberry silk. The latter is by far the larger silk producer of the two.
Tussar silk is produced from larvae of several species of silkworms belonging to the moth genus Antheraea, including A. assamensis, A. paphia, A. pernyi, A. roylei, and A. yamamai. These silkworms live in the wild forests in trees belonging to Terminalia species and Shorea robusta, as well as other food plants such as jamun and oak found in South Asia, eating the leaves of the trees on which they live. Tussar silk is valued for its rich texture and natural, deep-gold colour, and varieties are produced in many countries, including China, India, Japan, and Sri Lanka.
Baluchari Sari is a type of sari, a garment worn by women in Bangladesh and Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam. This particular type of sari originated in West Bengal and is known for depictions of mythological scenes on the anchal of the sari. It used to be produced in Murshidabad but presently Bishnupur and its surrounding areas of West Bengal are the only place where authentic Baluchari saris are produced. It takes approximately one week to produce one such sari. In 2011, the Baluchari Sari was granted the status of Geographical Indication for West Bengal in India.
Rajshahi Railway Station is a railway station at Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The railway station is the main station of the city, and links to Dhaka via the Iswardi–Sirajganj line. The station is one of the most modern, largest and important stations of Bangladesh Railway along with Dhaka and Chittagong railway station. Headquarter of Western Zone of Bangladesh Railway is also located within the station complex.
The history of the textile arts of Bangladesh dates back to the 1st century AD. According to the archaeological excavations, Bangladesh was once famous for its artistic textile production throughout the world. Over the years, several types of textiles evolved in the country, mostly by the indigenous handloom manufacturers.
Muga silk is a variety of wild silk geographically tagged to the state of Assam in India. The silk is known for its extreme durability and has a natural yellowish-golden tint with a shimmering, glossy texture. It was previously reserved for the use of royalty.
The Bangladesh Sericulture Development Board is a regulatory board in Bangladesh that is in charge of sericulture and is based in Rajshahi, Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute is an autonomous national research institute that carries out research on sericulture and supports the sericulture industry in Bangladesh. The organization is located in the city of Rajshahi.
Bengal Group is a Bangladeshi conglomerate. It was established in 1969. It includes Bengal Plastic the largest plastic manufacturer in Bangladesh. Morshed Alam, a member of parliament from Awami League, is the chairman of the Bengal Group of Industries. The Vice chairman of the group is Md Jashim Uddin, younger brother of Morshed Alam.
Abdul Hai Sarker is a Bangladeshi businessman. He is the chairman and CEO of Purbani Group, one of the largest and oldest established textile conglomerates in Bangladesh, and former president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association. He is the founding chairman of Dhaka Bank Limited. He is a chairman of the trustee board of Independent University, Bangladesh. He is a member of the executive committee of the Bangladesh Association of Banks.
Matka cloth was a kind of coarse silk from the Indian subcontinent. It was mainly produced with pierced cocoons. A pierced cocoon is one from which the moth of the silkworm has emerged and damaged the cocoon. The silk from these cocoons is spun, not reeled. The fabric made from these yarns is known as "Matka cloth."
Murshidabad silk is produced in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. This silk is produced from mulberry silkworms reared on mulberry trees. Murshidabad silk is known for its premium quality. This silk is very fine, light weight and easy to drape. Two famous saris produced from Murshidabad silk are Baluchari and Gorood.
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