Dhaka, Dec 7 (EFE).- The United Nations’ cultural agency, UNESCO, has recognized Bangladesh’s rickshaw and rickshaw painting as intangible cultural heritage, the country’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.
A rickshaw puller holds his umbrella during a heavy rain and rough condition caused by cyclone Sitrang in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 24 October 2022. EFE-EPA FILE/MONIRUL ALAM
The ministry said the global recognition of one of the most common modes of transport in Bangladesh and its colorful painting came during the ongoing convention on safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Botswana on Wednesday.
The three-wheeled passenger carts pedaled by one person and the painting on them are the fifth Bangladeshi item to make the list.
Past additions from the country to the list include the Shital Pati mat made from murta plants, the Mangal Shobhajatra procession during Bengali New Year celebrations, the traditional Jamdani sari, and mystical Baul folk songs.
The latest inclusion of rickshaw and rickshaw paintings is recognition of all rickshaw artists of Bangladesh, the foreign ministry said.
Bangladesh’s permanent representative to UNESCO, Khandkar M. Talha, said that they sought recognition of the rickshaw and rickshaw painting to save the tradition from disappearing.
“Due to the development of modern transport systems and the mechanization of vehicles, the movement of rickshaws in big cities is restricted,” he said in a statement.
“There is a possibility that the rickshaw and its aesthetic paintings will gradually disappear. So Bangladesh prepared this document to keep this painting alive,” he added.
“As a result of this registration, this painting, which has been ongoing for the past eight decades, has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site,” the Bangladesh official said.
Traditionally made by hand by a small group of craftsmen, almost every part of a rickshaw is painted with colorful floral patterns, natural imagery, birds, animals, and movie stars.
The rickshaw became one of the principal means of urban transport in Bangladesh after it was introduced in this part of the world in the 1930s.
It was first introduced as a mode of transport in Japan in the 20th century and became particularly popular in the country during World War II, when petrol and motorized transport were scarce and expensive.
However, Japan soon replaced rickshaws, known as “nintaku” in Japanese, with motorized vehicles, and by the 1950s, the cycle rickshaw had disappeared from the country and became popular elsewhere in Asia.
Transport experts in Bangladesh have suggested a gradual phasing-out of cycle rickshaws from Dhaka’s streets as they are blamed for the crippling traffic congestion in the capital city and also lack safety measures. EFE
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