Masuda, a resident of Rupshi village in Rupganj, Narayanganj, spent 11 years of her life weaving Jamdani sarees alongside her husband and sons. She never kept count of how many sarees she made. Though she often wished to wear one of her own creations, the pressing responsibility of feeding her husband and eight children always came first.

Today, her circumstances have changed. Masuda and her husband, Tawlat Pradhan, no longer weave Jamdani. Their four sons have taken over the craft and now support the family. Not only that, they recently gifted their mother a Jamdani saree. At nearly 60 years old, it was the first time in her life she wore one. Dressed in the elegant saree, Masuda inaugurated her son Yakub’s showroom, “Yakub Jamdani House,” set up at their own home.

Speaking over the phone last Saturday, Masuda shared her joy despite some difficulty in speaking due to a recent brain tumor surgery. There was unmistakable happiness in her voice. Having woven Jamdani herself, she knows well the value and beauty of such a saree. She mentioned that after seeing her wear it, her husband happily gave her 2,000 taka as a token gift.

When asked how she felt about receiving the saree from her sons, Masuda said she was overjoyed. She described how much she loved it and said she would wear it very carefully. She plans to keep it safely stored in her wardrobe and only wear it again on special occasions. She even joked that she would not carry children or let water touch the saree while wearing it.

Last Friday, a post was shared on the Facebook page “Yakub Jamdani House.” Although the Bengali text in the post had some grammatical errors, it did not matter to readers. By Sunday, the post had received around 7,500 reactions. In it, Yakub wrote that his mother had woven Jamdani sarees for years and loved them deeply, yet never chose to wear one herself. Being able to buy her a Jamdani saree was one of the happiest moments of his life. He added that he wishes only for the well-being of all parents.

Yakub explained that the saree is made with fine thread, a half-silk Jamdani featuring an intricate and valuable Surma design. It was woven by a relative, and he purchased it especially for his mother. Gifting her an expensive saree had long been his dream. He did not expect the saree to gain so much attention online. Many people expressed interest in buying it, prompting Yakub to post another video clarifying that his mother’s saree is not for sale—even if offered an enormous sum. However, customers may place pre-orders for similar designs.

He also shared that selling Jamdani sarees enabled him to finance his mother’s brain tumor surgery in Dhaka. The family consists of four brothers and their parents living together, while the four sisters are married. After covering household expenses, they are able to save a reasonable amount each month.

Yakub did not sit for his SSC exams, though he had slightly more educational opportunity than his siblings. Jamdani weaving has been their ancestral profession since his great-grandfather’s time. Their locality and family heritage are closely tied to the craft. Previously, Yakub sold sarees wholesale, but for the past two years he has focused on online sales and has received strong engagement through Facebook.

Reflecting on his mother wearing the saree, Yakub said it made him deeply happy. He hopes that one day, if he can open a showroom in Dhaka, he will gift his mother an even more valuable saree and have her inaugurate it. After all, he says, she has struggled her entire life.