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Rickshaws and Rickshaw painting in Dhaka inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Today, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage inscribed ‘Rickshaws and Rickshaw painting in Dhaka’ on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 18th session, taking place in Kasane, Botswana from 5 to 9 December 2023.
Also known as Dhakar Rickshaw or Rickshawchitra, the motif of Rickshaw Art is an exceptional decorative art and decoration on the body of the vehicle in Bangladesh. The Rickshaw is a human-propelled transport on three wheels and is a recognised feature of Dhaka and Bangladesh, as a whole. Rickshaw craftsmanship has been highly renowned for its traditional process of fashioning the Rickshaw by hand. In Bangladesh, almost every part of a Rickshaw is decorated and painted.
Rickshaws and Rickshaw Painting characterize Dhaka and its resident’s identity. As the element has been practiced and transmitted with passion, it has become an established part of this city's cultural tradition as a form of urban folk art.
As modern forms of transport are becoming more common, the number of rickshaws being used are diminishing, thereby putting the practice of Rickshaw Painting under threat. This significantly impacts the viability of the element and the livelihoods of practitioners of the craft, in particular the younger generation. With this inscription, UNESCO looks forward to working with the communities and authorities involved to finding innovative and sustainable ways of keeping this living heritage alive for future generations to come.
The 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, hosted by the Republic of Botswana, is evaluating nominations submitted by States Parties for inscription on the Lists of the Convention, that include 45 elements for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 6 elements for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, 4 proposals for the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices and 1 International Assistance request.
Apart from ‘Rickshaws and Rickshaw painting in Dhaka,’ some of the new inscriptions include ‘Garba of Gujarat’ from India, Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festival from Thailand, Hiragasy, a performing art of the Central Highlands of Madagascar, Junkanoo from the Bahamas, and the Procession and celebrations of Prophet Mohammed's birthday in Sudan, among others.
The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage currently has some704 elements corresponding to 5 regions and 143 countries. It includes forms of expression that testify to the diversity of intangible heritage and raises awareness of its importance. By enhancing the viability of communities’ cultural practices and know-how, UNESCO aims to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of communities globally.
