Bangladesh has decided to hire a law firm in India to fight a legal battle to retrieve the geographical indication (GI) tag of Tangail sari that India has already registered as its own.
Industries ministry on Monday apprised the High Court of its intent to appoint 'Mason & Associates' to represent the Bangladesh government in an Indian court.
'Mason & Associates' is a leading law firm in India that specialises in intellectual property law.
The hiring decision was made in a meeting held on March 22, according to the documents submitted in the High Court.
Quamrun Naher Siddiqua, additional secretary (policy, law and international cooperation) of the ministry and also convener of the Joint Task Force Committee, chaired the meeting.
The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi can appoint any other law firm, if need be, to conduct the case after reviewing the issue, according to the meeting.
The meeting asked the deputy commissioner of Tangail to immediately provide all necessary documents related to the case to the director general of the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks.
Md Munim Hassan, director general of the Department of Patent, Design and Trademarks under the industries ministry, told the HC that a total of 33 Bangladeshi products have geographical indications.
The list included jamdani, muslin, Tangail sari, hilsa, nakshikantha and yogurt of Bogura.
Mr Hassan also submitted a list of at least 149 products of different districts, which are suitable for GI registration.
GI is a sign used on a product that has a specific quality, reputation or other characteristics attributable to its geographical origin.
The particular product must be produced, processed or prepared in the defined geographical area using recognised techniques.
GIs are developed to boost a country's local and grass-roots entrepreneurs by giving them both horizontal and vertical protection.
GIs are typically used for agri-products, food items, handicrafts, wine and spirits, and industrial products.
The issue came to the fore in January 2024 after West Bengal of India obtained a GI tag for Tangail sari.
However, India's ownership of the sari, which is basically native to Tangail, 83 kilometres northwest of the capital city of Dhaka, has spawned considerable debate and concern in Bangladesh.
Tangail sari has been a part of the cultural heritage of Bangladesh for ages.
However, on 01 February 2024, India's cultural affairs ministry wrote in a Facebook post, "The Tangail sari, originating from West Bengal, is a traditional hand-woven masterpiece."
Accusing government bodies of their failure to secure a GI tag for Tangail sari, barrister Shukla Sarwat Siraj, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed a writ petition with the HC on February 18.
Hearing the petition, the HC bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir on February 19 directed the authorities concerned to submit a list of GI-tagged products and those suitable for registration.
It also issued a rule seeking an explanation for the inaction of both national and international respondents in identifying, registering and protecting GIs of natural and agricultural products, handicrafts and foodstuff originating from Bangladesh.
Complying with the HC order, the ministry submitted a report in the High Court on Monday.
Barrister Shukla said the HC bench asked the government's attorney to submit the ministry's documents as an affidavit within two weeks.
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