After the liberation of the country, Bangladesh used to earn maximum foreign exchange from the sector of jute known as golden fibre. Jute mills were the first industrial-factory in Bangladesh. There were over 200 jute mills across the country. Over one lakh people were employed in the jute mills. In 65 thousands hectores of land in Bangladesh, no crop other than jute grows well. Besides, the juteof Bangladesh is much more improved in quantity and standard and is sustainable. Adamji jute mills at Narayanganj was one of the largest jute mills not only in Bangladesh, but in the world. It was so much admired that many countries used to know Bangladesh through Adamji jute mills. More than half of the foreign exchange earnings of jute sector would come from Adamji mills. But at the advice of World Bank and IMF BNP-Jamaat alliance government closed down the mills in 2003. Subsequently, the machineries and equipments were sold to private mill owners and also sold as scrapped iron. The jute sector collapsed due to closure of many jute mills including Adamji. As a result, jute production decreased. Other states made best use of this situation and captured the market of this product. It caused a great blow to the country’s revenue income and heritage. After Awami League government assumed power in 2009, it started to reopen various mills. Six mills started to function in Daulatpur in Khulna alone creating an employment of 35,000 people. The farmers, businessmen and factory workers regained their lost hope. Experts think the jute may be the second largest potential sector being next to RMG, if the opportunity is exploited. As jute is environment friendly, its demand is increasing gradually. The existing jute mills are 50/60 years old and dilapidated. Those are running with repaired and replaced equipment. The jute sacs and other products are being produced there since ’50s. With technological advancement, the jute products have changed a lot. Excepting some government mills, the other factories are backdated. Those cannot cope with international standard. Consequently, the mills have been counting loss for 43 years after the independence. After the UN declared 2010 as the Year of Natural Fibre, market of the jute products boomed. The Ministry of Textile and Jute has taken new policy for diversified use of this product. Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI), the only jute research body, invented a fairly thin yearn. By mixing 50 percent cotton and 50 percent jute fibre, 8, 10, 15 and 20 counts of yarn were produced. Experts think the country will be able to export jute made garments after meeting local demand. As Bangladesh is one of the largest jute producing countries, it will get scope for uncontested business in the global market. The jute will be golden as well as magic fibre. In 2010, Bangladeshi scientist Maqsudul Alam decoded genome sequence of jute. On June 19, 2012, he along with subordinates sequenced DNA make-up of a fungus named Macrophomina phaseolina which reduces yield of more than 500 species of crops including jute, soybean and cotton. In 2013, he led a team to crack the genome of white jute. But Bangladesh failed to make the best use of these inventions. State Minister for Textile and Jute Mirza Azam said the previous government destroyed the jute sector at the behest of foreign prescription. But the present government has taken up mega plan again to revive this sector. Under the new plan, the government controlled jute mills will be modernised and multipurpose jute goods will be produced. Jute will get back its lost tradition while employment opportunity of several lakh people will be created as a result of this. It is learnt from jute and textile ministry sources at present out of mixture of jute and cotton goods like denim, shirting, bed sheet and sari are being produced. The state minister further said “In the new plan, we are giving more importance on expansion of multipurpose jute goods. The existing jute mill of BJMC will be transformed for producing multipurpose jute goods. Of the 26 jute mills of BJMC, 15 will be made capable of producing multipurpose jute goods. “ In 2010, the government enacted a law to ensure use of jute. The law has come into force from this year. There is unrest in the international market. For this, the jute industry of Bangladesh is under pressure. Now goods worth Tk 800 crores are stored in BJMC godowns alone. However, the jute industry will get rid off this pressure, if 20 percent of the goods earmarked for export can find its way into the local market. The fair price of jute cannot be ensured due to dependence on international market only. The state minister said improved varieties of seeds and fertilisers are supplied to the farmers free of cost with a view to increasing production of jute. This has resulted in increase of production by about 80 percent. BJMC sources said the daily production of the mills of BJMC is now 700 tonnes. Still BJMC is the largest manufacturing organisation for jute products in the world after closing Adamjee Jute Mills. BJMC sought Tk 1,084 crore from the government for the BMRI of the mills targeting the demand of world market. But the government sent back the proposal. However, the government was interested for BMRI step by step. Accordingly BJMC sent a new proposal of Tk 194 crore. If that amount of money is received then BMRI would be possible for producing various jute products. BJMC chairman Maj Gen (retd) Humayun Khaled said to produce traditional jute products are passing off. Time befitting products have to be made to cope up with modern markets. BJMC has to adopt that path. Additional research director of Centre for Policy Dialogue Dr Khandakar Golum Moazzem said the demand of jute related product is increasing 6 to 7 percent in the world market every year. But Bangladesh is lagging behind due to some small problems in terms of jute industry. He said this sector is not being developed though subsidy is being given. However, the government is allocating budget emphasising this sector. He said this sector has to be built into a competitive sector in the world market. So, political determination is needed for the internal market. The private sectors have to come forward alongside government organisations. He also stressed the need for using jute products locally. Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (Bela) chief executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan said, “We need a mega plan to develop jute sector where there will short, mid and long term plans along with researchers, jute farmers and all other stakeholders. She said polythene has been banned but all are now using polythenes. The government has to take the initiative so that jute product related law does not go in vain like polythene law.” Citing an example she said the government spent Tk 25 crore only to remove polythene from the Buriganga due to lack of use of jute products. Ministry sources said the government has taken mega project worth Tk 3,500 crore to upgrade jute sector. Under this project different tasks will be accomplished such as renovation of jute mills, diversification of product, ensuring fair prices to the farmers and extension of local and international markets. With a view to fulfilling this target China will provide loan for the modernisation of 26 jute mills at the primary stage. Recently Bangladesh and China signed three memorandum of understanding (MoU). As per the agreement firstly survey will be conducted in some 26 jute mills of BJMC with the finance of China. Then loan will be available at 1.5 percent interest rate for the upgradation of the jute mills. The loan can be paid within 20 years. Along with the renovation works, China will purchase a major portion of product of the jute mills of Bangladesh. Ministry sources said the government mills will be updated for the first time. Different types of produicts will be produced in the mills such as sack, bag, medical bandage and many others. Sources said there are several lakh hectares of land in the country for jute cultivation. Of which, some 65thousand hectares of land are only jute cultivable land. Farmers lost their interests for jute cultivation as they did not get fair prices of jute. There is no scope for the farmers to sell jute in the government jute mills as per the exiting policy of buying raw jute. Now there is a directive under the new plan so that farmers can directly sell their jute. BUET has been given the task of updating 26 government jute mills of the country as part of the mega project in renovating country’s traditional jute sector.
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