Product: Tant Although Tantis admit that weaving is their

profession since time immemorial, many of

them have not been engaged in this craft
as their exclusive occupation in the later
years. The influx of inexpensive
manufactured clothes forced many Tantis
to opt for other sources of subsistence and
others to even leave the occupation.

Figure: Making fabric from Yarn

Tant is not only a kind of fabric rich in

artistic motifs and elegant designs but also
a relic inherent to the heritage of Bengal.
The tanti community, as a socially defined
group, naturally formed centuries ago due
to the demand for this fabric in this region.

Figure: Weaving Making Shari in

Origin and Evolution Bishnupur

The Charyapada, the oldest collection of

verses compiled in early Eastern Indo-
Aryan languages, bears elaborate
descriptions of the refined texture and the
mundane beauty of the fabric. It also
describes the lifestyle and nature of work
of the weavers and how the artistic
occupation evolved over time.
During the Mughal period, both Hindus and
Muslims were involved in the occupation of
manufacturing Tant items. Most of the
businesses were family owned and the
Tantis used to live in the same area
(demarcated as Tantipara) and have
access to shared facilities.
The Glorious Past
Bangladeshi Tant was highly acclaimed
inside and outside the Indian subcontinent,
Mongol travelers who visited Bengal during
their expeditions in the 14th century were
highly moved by the intricacy of handloom
products of Bangladesh including Tant and
included descriptions of it in their
manuscripts. Scholars hailing from the
Middle East also took away Tant items as
souvenirs, being amazed by its quality. The
Mughal rulers were known to send
handloom gifts to the Empire in the Middle
East which included Tant goods.
The production of Tant was popularized
during the Swadeshi movement. As
commoners started boycotting cotton
textiles from Lacashire (a key textile
production centre in North West England)
in favour of local textile goods, Tant
production was revamped and fabricated to
meet the needs of common Bengali
masses.
Figure: Depiction of Mongol travelers
flaunting handloom souvenirs from Bengal
(fifteenth century)
The Making of Tant items
Historically, Tant was made by handloom
manufacturers with indigenous weaving
machines run by hand and foot. To
produce the garment, raw materials were
turned into fibre using natural products.
The coarseness of the fibre would be
determined by the nature of starch where
the fibre would be soaked for an extended
period of time for the process of refining.
After the allocated amount of time, the fibre
was turned into yarn following intermediate
operations that varied in style from one
Tantipara to another.
In the later years (pre-British and British
period), the workflow was somewhat more
automated than that in the past. The
stages of spinning, washing, dying,
treating, followed by knitting were
accelerated owing to increased efficiency
of machines accompanied by its enhanced
design. Introduction of viscose, rayon,
tencel and other plant and cellulose based
derivatives made the manufacturing
process easier in the upcoming years.
Figure: Tanti weaving in Tangail’s
Tantipara
Current Forlorn Scenario
At present, the demand for garments made
of tant has greatly diminished compared to
the past. Some Shari manufacturers have
demand for tant based products since
there are a few customers who opt
exclusively for tant sharis during special
occasions of social and traditional
significance. Other than that, most
customers opt for sharis of other kinds that
are more comfortable and less coarse,
according to Noborupa, a leading Shari
outlet operating since the eighties.
“My mother used to own a few tant sharis
when she was younger. She would soak
the shari in warm water mixed with rock
salt in order to prevent the fabric from
losing colour during washes. Caring for a
tant shari was time-consuming as well as
effort-intensive.” says Mehzabeen Islam, a
radiotherapist at Community Based
Medical College Bangladesh (CBMCB). “I
personally do not own any tant saree and I
prefer more practical cotton sarees.
Additionally, I do not see many stores
selling Tant sharis when I am shopping for
sharis.” She adds.
Revenue Generated
Figure: Tant Sharis on display in a local
store in Ghatail
The anecdotal account on the previous
section serves as an explanation to why
revenue generated from Tant goods
constitute a small proportion of the revenue
obtained from the handloom industry.
According to Bangladesh Handloom Board
(BHB), Bangladesh earned 1.6 billion USD
from FY 2009-10 to FY 2019-20 by
exporting handloom. To put the numbers
into perspective, Bangladesh earned
43,10,060 USD by exporting Tangail Tant
Shari and Tangail cotton shari to India and
Japan in FY 2016-17. The same number
dropped to 37,54,172 USD in FY 2018-19
despite exporting to England as well as
Japan and India.
The Way Forward
Tant, a mere fabric to many but a treasure
larger than life, has a history that runs
through generations. An industry that
connects weavers, dyers, embroiders and
not to mention, the consumers is an
industry worth protecting. Thankfully,
Bangladesh Handloom Board has made it
a priority to resurrect the Tant industry and
revive its lost glory. Tangail, Dhaka,
Chittagong, Laxmipur, Kishoreganj and
Bajitpur - the centres of handloom
excellence - would be incentivized to
manufacture more Tant goods. According
to a circular published the previous year,
initiatives to boost demand would also be
taken to revive Tant products, and our
heritage at large.