Woodcrafts of Bangladesh

Introduction and Background

In Bangladesh, wood is a common material for artistic creations. The term "woodworks" refers to the process of engrave and apply different designs to completed wood goods to enhance its vibrancy and beauty. Previously, religious buildings like mosques, temples, and churches were the principal locations where woodwork was seen. Woodwork made its way into emperors' and monarchs' palaces over time. Now, woodwork and woodcraft have become highly regarded in contemporary society.

In the East Asian region, woodworking dates back to the fourth century B.C. According to Megasthenes, wood was used extensively in Indian construction. During the Maurya era, sadeli art that can currently be found in Bangladesh was also in use. In Mohenjodaro and Harappa, wood was not only utilised but its quality standard was also taken into consideration at the time. 

The naval industry of ancient Bengal was also part of woodcraft. The book Yuktikalpataru contains the scriptural directions on how to prepare boats using various sorts of wood. Fine craftsmanship is evident in the composition of sculptures from the Pala-Sena era as a result of the introduction of woodcraft to society at that time. Bhattasali claimed that the wooden representation of the Garuda discovered in Raghunathpur resembled the Pala Style when describing the sculpture on display at the National Museum of Bangladesh. 

A new dimension was introduced to the field of arts and sculpting during the Mughal era as India's communication with other regions increased. Trade and commerce promoted by western merchants signalled the start of a new economic age for the century. This had a significant impact on both art and architecture. During the 18th century, the English introduced the woodcut industry to Kolkata along with printing technology. Even though the woodcut industry began to grow in Western India in 1556, it took another 200 years for it to spread to Bengal in East India.

Woodcraft in Bangladesh

Bangladeshis use wood as a material to create utensils, dwellings, and weapons, hence woodcraft has historically and currently played a significant role in the economy of the nation. The people of this country have used wood carving crafts for a very long time to design their windows, beds, seats, and other furniture, as well as the doors and frames of their homes. They have been demonstrating their traditional way of life through this design. To demonstrate the opulent lifestyle that their culture leads to, they carve designs of flowers, peacock heads, and other natural objects into wood.

Available Woods in Bangladesh

Woods have versatile uses and are of vast economic importance to a country. In Bangladesh, there are two main types of wood: softwood and hardwood. Any tree that provides wood of commercial value can be categorised as a “Timber tree”. There are over 500 species of timber trees that are grown both artificially and organically in homesteads and forested areas in Bangladesh. With a few exceptions, such as vanaspati, the majority of these are hardwoods. Some other timber trees found in Bangladesh are, Babla, Chatim, Boilam, Gurjan, Sundari, Sal, Mahogany, Shimul, etc. These trees are utilised for their wood in a variety of industries, including building, furniture, paper pulp, fuel, aromatics, pharmaceuticals, rubber, and cosmetics. Based on the type of wood that they produce, various tree species are used for various purposes.  

Different Types of Wooden Crafts

In Bangladesh, wood carving crafts for door designs predominate among all kinds of wooden crafts. They decorate their doors with various cultural symbols. Mosque doors feature prayers carved into the wood. Also, temples have their goddess’ names and statue designs carved in woods. People from higher social classes put heavy designs on their front doors and doorframes to express their love for their nation and its cultures. Many people use wooden boxes for musical instruments that are built with these decorative woodworks. A lot of expressive design goes into the creation of cots, bedsteads (divans), chests, chaityas, palanquins, dolls, boats, musical instruments, sculptures and other household furnitures. In addition to them, poles and wooden pillars are occasionally engraved as well. Wooden dishes and spoons are also very popular nowadays.

Present Situation of Woodcrafts

It is no longer possible to find the diversity of woodworks that were common from the 17th through the 19th centuries. In terms of ornamentation designs and patterns, modern perspectives are currently dominating decorative woodwork. Right now, all types of furniture use modern designs. Traditional bedsteads have been replaced by boxdivans. In recent years, the wealthier segment of the population has begun to favour decorative doors and doorframes more and more. Machine drawn designs are now preferred to engrave furniture. Alongside modern furniture, traditional ones are also in use.