Handloom weavers of iconic Tangail saree in Bangladesh seek UNESCO heritage status for their craft

TANGAIL, Bangladesh (AP) — The weavers’ neighborhood near Dhaka echoes with the constant clatter of the looms with rhythmic hand movements as the artisans use colorful silk and cotton threads to weave the iconic Tangail saree.

The handloom saree is named after a central Bangladesh district that is home to hundreds of weaver families. The garment is seen as the country’s cultural symbol, showcased during festivals and wedding celebrations across the Indian subcontinent.

The centuries-old traditional saree weaving art was nominated for inclusion in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity this year.

Every garment is crafted with a fusion of tradition and craftsmanship, with aesthetic designs and intricate motifs rooted in local culture. The men usually color the yarn, weave the fabric and create designs on the looms. Women help with spinning threads on the wheels.

The Tangail saree is not just a cultural icon, it also provides livelihood to hundreds of weaver families.

With rising raw material costs and competition from cheaper, machine-woven drapes, the community is facing waning interest from younger generations to continue in the family vocation. Handloom weavers hope the recognition and heritage status from UNESCO will help preserve their craft for future generations.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

A weaver looks at the design blueprint for a Tangail saree as he operates a loom at a weaving workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Shopkeepers arrange saris at a weekly wholesale market in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

A customer examines a Tangail sari at a weekly wholesale market in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Tangail saris are displayed for sale at a weekly wholesale market in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

An artisan cuts excess thread from a Tangail saree at a weaving workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

A Tangail saree takes shape on a loom at a traditional weaving workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

A worker arranges dyed threads used in the making of Tangail saris at a workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

A weaver uses a spinning wheel to make yarn to be used in the making of Tangail sarees at a workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

A weaver crafts a Tangail saree on a traditional hand-operated loom at a weaving workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Handloom weavers arrange threads at a weaving workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

A weaver uses a spinning wheel to make yarn to be used in the making of Tangail sarees at a workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

A weaver crafts a Tangail saree on a traditional hand-operated loom at a weaving workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

A weaver crafts a Tangail saree on a traditional hand-operated loom at a weaving workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

A shuttle holding the weft thread is seen on a hand-operated loom, which is used to create the renowned Tangail sarees at a traditional weaving workshop in Tangail District, Bangladesh, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Tens of thousands of airline passengers are stranded by the Iran war that has spread across the Gulf region, but some wealthy travelers are getting out — by paying large sums for luxury flights to Europe via airports that are safe from Iranian drone and missile attacks.

Demand for charter flights has skyrocketed, with some people paying up to 200,000 euros ($232,000) as major airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, Qatar, were closed after the start of the conflict last weekend.

Travelers from Dubai, usually known as a safe and luxurious destination, are seeking to evacuate by traveling overland either to Muscat, Oman, about a four-hour drive, or to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, more than 10 hours away. Then they board one of the few available commercial flights or take a charter flight, whose costs have soared since the start of the war.

“The demand is huge, and we can’t deliver enough aircraft to respond to the demand,” said Altay Kula, CEO of the France-based private jet broker JET-VIP.

Whereas normally a charter flight on a private jet that can accommodate up to 16 passengers from Riyadh to Porto in Portugal may cost around 100,000 euros ($115,800) these days, the cost has doubled, Kula said.

“This increase in cost reflects the aircraft’s scarcity, the repositioning costs as well, and the operator risk assessments. So this is not speculative pricing,” he added.

Prices can vary depending on the departure point, the type of aircraft and the route constraints, said Ameerh Naran, CEO of Vimana Private Jets. For flights from the Gulf region to Europe, prices are ranging from 150,000 euros ($173,800) to 200,000 euros, he added.

In order to reach functional airports such as those in Riyadh and Muscat, some travelers hire private security companies that coordinate transportation in vehicles ranging from ordinary passenger cars to coach buses.

Due to the heavy traffic, wait times at border points with Oman can be up to four hours, while costs range in the thousands of dollars, said Ian McCaul, operations and planning director with Alma Risk, a U.K.-based risk management and security firm.

Those seeking to leave are predominantly stranded travelers, as opposed to residents, McCaul added.

He estimates his company has made transfer arrangements for more than 200 people and advised several others in recent days.

Vimana's clients include business executives, families and entrepreneurs, as well as remote workers who had been based in the region, Naran said.

Elie Hanna, CEO for the Middle East headquarters of Air Charter Service, based in Dubai, said most of the flights out of the region are leaving from Oman. The prices are so high, he said, because few charter planes are available since most of them are stuck at airports that are now closed.

The clients he is seeing range from people who regularly charter private, as well as people who generally fly commercial but are trying to pool resources with other travelers or families to share the expense.

“Everyone is stressed," Hanna said. "To be honest, everyone is trying to accommodate as much as they can. Muscat Airport is overloaded with flights and everybody is stressed.”

Experts from the International SOS security and health services company expect the fighting to continue to affect transportation and energy infrastructure for weeks.

A few people walk in a public plaza in downtown Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair)

Light traffic moves along a main road in downtown Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair)

ADDS CAUSE OF BLACK SMOKE IN THE BACKGROUND.- A plume of smoke caused by an Iranian strike is seen in the background an an Emirates plane is parked at the Dubai International Airport after its closure in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)