Muscat: A five-member Bangladeshi crafts delegation, representing Island Trading Corporation, Uttaran Enterprise, Karupannya Rangpur Limited, Nipun Crafts Limited and Shahina Jamdani Weaving Factory, is participating in the 'International Festival for Arts, Heritage and Creativity'.  

This festival,  which is a part of Muscat Festival 2013, will continue till February 28. 

The Bangladesh delegation will display a variety of handmade craft items, including basket wares, sataranji (handmade jute-carpet), traditional jewellery, famous jamdani sarees, nakshi kantha (embroidery-based stitched comforters and décor items), leather products, apparel and fabrics, pottery, and home furnishings and decor along with many other items.

"The crafts of Bangladesh have a long history, which have enjoyed both fame and popularity throughout the world, especially the distinctive textiles of Bangladesh," said charge d'affaires of Bangladesh Embassy Mohammad Khorshed A. Khastagir. 

In fact, the daily life of Bengali people was inextricably linked with the usage and production of handcrafted objects, some of which were specialised crafts involving expert craftsmanship developed on a commercial basis for elites, he noted. 

Thousands of artisans are involved in the handicraft industry in Bangladesh, playing a significant role in creating jobs, particularly in the rural areas.

The Bangladesh Embassy is stressing on the need for more exchanges of delegations and trade links between Bangladesh and Oman, a country rich in its heritage and culture, including handicrafts, as the charge d'affaires expressed optimism for future cooperation between the two countries.