In a colourful display of cultural pride and social defiance, Jashore University of Science and Technology (Just) on Sunday played host to a remarkably vibrant and unconventional “Lungi Parade.”
Designed to shatter deep-seated dress code taboos and challenge class discrimination, the event aimed to celebrate the traditional folk garment within an academic setting under the unifying banner of “Cultural Equality.”
Organised by the Department of English as part of their “Learning Language Through Literature” course, the procession kicked off outside the Michael Madhusudan Dutt Academic Building following a brief opening ceremony.
Faculty members and students from across various departments joined in enthusiastically, proudly donning traditional Bengali attire including lungis, saris, fatuas, and gamchhas.
The parade wound its way through the heart of the university grounds, passing the Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose Academic Building and encircling the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam Academic Building before returning to its starting point.
The university’s pro-vice-chancellor, Professor Sheikh Mahmudul Hasan, attended the event as chief guest, accompanied by treasurer Professor Dr Mohammad Faruq Hasan as special guest.
Addressing the gathering, Professor Hasan emphasised that a person’s true worth is measured by humanity, responsibility, and discipline rather than their choice of attire.
He noted that while clothing reflects cultural heritage, it can never serve as the sole measure of an individual’s identity, praising the English Department for pioneering such an innovative and commendable initiative.
Drawing striking global parallels, course director and associate professor of English, Dr Farhana Yasmin, highlighted the deep-seated significance of the garment.
She explained that the lungi is far more than just a simple piece of cloth, it is a living language that tells the story of Bangladesh’s agricultural roots and ancestral heritage.
Much like the Scottish kilt or the Japanese kimono, she argued, the lungi remains a distinct point of pride for Bengali identity.
True smartness, according to Dr Yasmin, lies not in blindly adopting Western trousers and shirts, but in embracing one’s own roots and cultural legacy.
The initiative vividly demonstrated that literature and cultural expression extend far beyond the pages of textbooks and into everyday life.
Behind the celebration lies a deliberate stand against the pervasive mindset that deems certain attire “elite” while dismissing working-class clothing as “inferior.”
According to the organisers, the choice of “Cultural Equality” as a theme was direct pushback against cultural hegemony and clothing-based social division, reinforcing the idea that no tradition is lesser and that all cultural heritages deserve equal respect.
The memorable gathering drew strong support from university leadership, with attendees including the dean of the faculty of arts and social sciences, Professor Mariyam Jamila, English department chair, Farzana Nasrin, and the university proctor, Md Hamidur Rahman, and associate professors Munibur Rahman and Abdullah Al Mamun alongside many enthusiastic staff and students.
