Gifts from Bangladesh: Cultural tokens for your foreign friends

Holidays are always special, bringing in visiting friends and family from abroad to Bangladesh. However, as the holidays draw to a close, you might want to express your appreciation with a thoughtful gift before you bid adieu to them.

Finding the perfect token can be a big challenge—it should be special enough to evoke memories of Bangladesh, yet practical enough not to burden them on their journey. 

Well, here are unique items themed after Bangladeshi culture to give as a gift to your friends and family, to remember and cherish their time in Bangladesh with. 

Made in Bangladesh Spirit bags 

MIB Spirit is a Dhaka-based store for handcrafted bags. What makes their products unique is their emphasis on using environmentally friendly fabrics for raw materials, all of which are locally sourced, according to the brand. 

The brand offers practical and stylish items for men and women. You can find vintage-style bags, purses, and even tiny backpacks; their collection is vast and inclusive. Each of these items boasts an MIB Spirit logo and a proud 'Made in Bangladesh' moniker. Thus, it can be the perfect souvenir to remind your peers of Bangladesh.

Price: Tk1,000 to Tk4,000 (approx.) 

Where to buy: Gulshan, Banani, Lalmatia

Hat Bakso fridge magnet

Souvenirs such as fridge magnets are a great way to bring back memories of a country or document one's travels. 

Well, what could then be a better gift than some culturally-themed fridge magnets for your expatriate or NRB friends, to remind them of you when they leave? 

With six different designs, Hat Bakso fridge magnets are quite unique in terms of functionality as well. For example, the CNG and map of Bangladesh fridge magnets come with clocks built in, while others serve as either pen holders or calendars. Prices of the fridge magnets range between Tk450 to Tk500 excluding delivery charges. 

Price: Tk450 to Tk500

Where to buy: www.hatbakso.com

Dhakayeah art printables 

Dhakayeah has over a hundred unique in-house Bangladesh-themed digital art designs that the online-based store offers as printables. 

These digital art pieces range from famous landmarks to festivals, and even illustrated maps. You will also find art of local police officers and celebrities. 

Once you select an illustration, you can choose to give it as a gift to your friend as greeting cards, framed art prints, a notebook or even as a printed tote bag. Regular prices start at Tk250 for greeting cards and can go all the way up to Tk1,600 for tote bags, all of which represent iconic Bangladeshi items in a custom digital theme that is not available elsewhere. 

Price: Tk250 to Tk1,600

Where to buy: www.bd.dhakayeah.com

Beshideshi hand-painted sunglasses

If you ask any foreigner to name three iconic things that represent Bangladeshi heritage, chances are that one of them will most likely be rickshaw art. In fact, rickshaw paints also received UNESCO recognition as an 'Intangible Cultural Heritage' last year. 

Hence, what could be a better gift as a souvenir than a pair of rickshaw art themed sunglasses? Offered by Beshideshi at Tk450, each pair will come with its plastic frames professionally hand painted, based on rickshaw art themes of vibrant shades. 

Being handpainted, no two pairs will ever be completely identical, reflecting the uniqueness of the art style and making it a gift to remember. 

Price: Tk450 

Where to buy: www.beshideshi.com

Adorn & Co. Bangla pendants

Adding a personal touch to the item you are gifting is what is going to make it all the more special. Adorn & Co.'s pendants are the best way to personalise your gift while commemorating Bangladesh's culture.

The jewellery shop offers pendants in the form of Bangla letters. They also offer a wide variety of chain options, so you can choose the best one that suits the style you want. Gifting someone a pendant with their name's first letter is a great way to make your gift meaningful. 

You can also customise the person's name or a word that is special to them in Bangla. These pendants are made of pure silver and have a gold plating of 22 karat gold.

Price: Starts from Tk2,000

Where to buy: https://www.facebook.com/adorncoboutique

Khadi T-shirt by Dacca

Fabrics like Khadi, Katan, and 'Gamchas' have an inherent link to the heritage of Bengal. The application of such fabrics, however, has more often than not been limited to traditional wear. 

This is where the apparel brand Dacca attempted to change the tide by integrating these fabrics into contemporary fashion, that too in the form of leisure wear and streetwear. Dacca further breaks gender stereotypes with its collection of unisex apparel.

A Dacca T-shirt, sporting an embroidered tapestry from a long obliterated artisanship, represents the re-introduction and integration of that very innate Bengal craftsmanship and heritage. Their fashion is then fused with the touch of contemporary pop culture, making it a thoughtful gift choice for your foreign friend.

Price: Tk1,250 

Where to buy: https://fromdacca.com/