Other lands
The sari in Bangladesh
The sari of Bangladesh, worn daily and for festivals, with famed Jamdani and Tangail weaves and red and white at the Bengali New Year.
Presented by ClearTrust Free for wearers, makers and the curious.
The sari is the main traditional dress of Bengali women in Bangladesh. It is worn every day in towns and villages, and with silk, cotton and Jamdani for festivals and weddings. Bangladesh has its own weaving centres, and the Bengali New Year is marked in red and white.
Wrapped step by step
Each drawing shows the cloth so far, with the newest step outlined in gold. The figure is a front view; the wearer's left is on your right.
Step 1 Tuck the plain end into the petticoat at the right hip. Step 2 Wrap the cloth once round the waist. Step 3 Form pleats at the front. Step 4 Tuck the pleats at the navel. Step 5 Carry the pallu across the chest and over the left shoulder. Step 6 For work or heat, tuck the end of the pallu into the waist to keep the arms free. Step 7 Otherwise pin the pallu and let it hang behind. Finished The sari in Bangladesh, seen from the front.
Where it comes from
The Ganges delta has made fine cotton for many centuries, and the muslin of Dhaka was known far beyond Bengal. Jamdani, a hand-brocaded cotton, is woven near Dhaka, and Tangail and other towns are known for their own cotton and silk. Saris are part of Bengali life on both sides of the political border, and the weaves of Bangladesh share a long history with those of West Bengal. UNESCO has recognised Jamdani weaving of Dhaka as an intangible heritage. In the markets of Dhaka, saris are sold from traditional weaving areas and from mills, and the trade supports many households.
How it looks
In towns, many women wear the Nivi-style drape, with pleats at the front and the pallu over the left shoulder. In villages and for work, a simpler wrapping is common, often with the end of the pallu tucked into the waist, so the arms are free. Cotton saris in checks, stripes and bold borders are daily wear. Festival saris are in silk, Jamdani or fine cotton with woven motifs. A fitted blouse and a petticoat go beneath. Printed cotton and block-printed saris are also common, and the fabric is chosen for the heat and humidity of the delta.
Who wears it and when
Women wear it daily, to school and work in some cases, and at weddings, Eid and Durga Puja. At Pohela Boishakh, the Bengali New Year in April, women wear white saris with red borders and wear flowers in their hair. Brides often choose red silk or Banarasi saris. Younger women may wear the sari less often, but festival days keep it in use. Many families buy a new sari for the Eid and Puja seasons, and for the New Year in April, a tradition shared with Bengal across the border. This guide gives the general form, and a maker, dresser or family may do it a little differently.
Sarees worn this way
Sources and further reading
Original text and drawings by the EveryPallu desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The drawings are simplified diagrams of the order of wrapping, not a lesson: how a drape is worn differs from family to family. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Tant sari: Billjones94, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tangail saree: P.K.Niyogi, Public domain, source
- Jamdani: Salim_Khandoker, CC0, source