Tangail Correspondent
Tangail-5 (Sadar) MP and State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku has said steps will be taken to export Tangail’s century-old traditional GI product, chomchom, abroad.
He made the remarks as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the three-day ‘Sweet Festival-2026’, organised by the district administration at Shaheed Smriti Municipal Park in Tangail city on Friday afternoon.
Sultan Salahuddin Tuku said, “People across Bangladesh and many around the world know Tangail’s chomchom to some extent. Just as Tangail sarees are a source of pride and a part of Bangladesh’s heritage, chomchom is also part of our tradition. It is our responsibility and duty to explore how this product can be developed further.”
He said the festival had been organised to showcase Tangail’s heritage to the people. “The traditions and achievements of Tangail are a matter of pride for the people of Bangladesh. We want to build a historic and safe Tangail in the days ahead by preserving this heritage. We need everyone’s cooperation in this regard,” he said.
Highlighting the objectives of the festival, the state minister said it aimed to showcase Tangail’s products and raise public awareness about them, while establishing the district’s heritage among people across the country.
He said, “Our honourable Prime Minister spoke about Tangail’s traditional sarees and chomchom at an event in Gopalpur before the election. He also spoke about pineapples. We will take steps to explore how Tangail’s chomchom can be exported abroad.”
He said expanding the chomchom industry would increase export earnings while generating greater interest and employment in the sector. This, he added, could make an important contribution to both the grassroots and national economies.
Earlier, the state minister formally inaugurated the ‘Sweet Festival-2026’ by cutting a ribbon and releasing balloons.
Deputy Commissioner Sharifa Haque said one of the key objectives of the festival was to spread the message that “Tangail’s GI products are not only Tangail’s, but also Bangladesh’s pride”. The festival would strengthen the local economy and promote Tangail’s tourism potential, she said.
Police Superintendent Muhammad Shamsul Alam Sarkar, former member-secretary of the district BNP Mahmudul Haque Sanu, upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) of different upazilas and officials from various government departments were present. #EK
