Air-conditioned clothes!

Once, when I went to Japan (decades ago), I was aware of the Japanese custom of offering small gifts during social intercourses. What could a light-pocketed gentleman take from Dhaka? I took a few pieces of cheap handmade caps made from grass leaves (as worn by Bhashani?). I presented a piece to the wife of a Japanese executive who was gracious enough to invite me home for dinner (a rare honor). I stressed two points: hand-made in the village, and environmentally-friendly, made of natural fibre. I even suggested she could use it as a flower basket by affixing a light handle. They were delighted and impressed with a handmade product of Bengalee culture. When I was returning home, he presented me with a very expensive gift worth tens of dollars.

On another occasion, I impishly told a foreigner abroad that at home we used air-conditioned' clothes in the hot, humid and tropical climate, without any extra machinery or cost. He was puzzled, and asked for details. I advised him to think about it; and told him at the next meeting that we use handmade, handloom cotton loongie and ghamcha for the lower and upper portions of the body during the hot days at home (as I am doing so while typing this letter on the computer).

The lower garment has only one straight stitch; and gamcha needed no tailoring. Cotton is best for hot and humid climate, absorbs sweat and evaporates it quickly. The ghamcha is better than a sleeveless vest as it could be shaken up (stitchless) and can be used as a wiper or towel.

A root, basic question arises; transfer of local technological culture should be more two-way, than one-way as at present. We are labelled as Third World entitieswhere is the Second World of level communication? Look at the Western mess in Iraq. We should export loongie and ghamcha to the industrialized world, along with prawn and RMG! Pack the former set in a jute bag.