Researchers in Bangladesh have resurrected Dhaka muslin, a prized handloom-based fine cotton fabric, with a greater opportunity for commercial production.
Production of the highly prized Mughal-era cloth, which could be passed through a finger ring, was suppressed by the British colonial rulers to promote their own machine-spun muslin and textiles in Indian and European markets.
The Dhaka muslin, named after the Bangladeshi capital, was famous worldwide, especially in Europe in the 17th and early 18th centuries.
There were different types of handloom-based muslin across the Indian subcontinent, but the Dhaka muslin was unique and precious, said Md. Monzur Hossain, a botany professor at the University of Rajshahi and head of the research team.
“Soon the British realized the value of the Dhaka muslin. They started producing their own muslin by exporting key ingredients, cotton plants, and skilled workers to Europe from Bengal, now Bangladesh. But their machine-spun British textiles weren’t as lucrative or gorgeous as the Dhaka muslin,” Hossain said.
Subsequently, British rulers forcefully stopped the production of the Dhaka muslin by imposing restrictions on weavers.
“There was talk that British rulers cut off fingers of muslin weavers in Dhaka,” he added.
During the pre-colonial Mughal era, Mughal rulers heavily supported the production of the Dhaka muslin, which had faced hostile treatment during the British colonial era, he said, referring to historical archives.
