Bangladesh can meet world's 60pc jute demand
Roundtable told
A group of economists, social workers and trade union leaders yesterday urged the government to pay special attention to the jute industry to restore the golden fibre's lost glory amid its growing demand in the world market.
If the government takes initiatives to cultivate jute on a large scale, Bangladesh could meet 60 percent of world's jute demand, they said, and termed the emerging demand for jute in the world as an upside for the country.
They were speaking at a roundtable organised by "Committee to Save Jute and Jute Industry" at the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh, Chittagong.
The speakers called on all involved with the jute industry to get united with a view to making the industry more vibrant and thwarting all kinds of national and foreign conspiracy against this sector.
A lot of jute factory owners have wilfully shut down their factories by joining hands with some corrupt government officials and a number of international organisations and donor agencies like the World Bank, they said.
The shutdown of jute factories not only have affected the factory owners but also disappointed farmers as tobacco is being cultivated in the arable land instead of jute, they added.
They urged the government to implement related laws and adopt the national jute policy for the betterment of this potential industry.
Lawmaker Moinuddin Khan Badal spoke at the programme as chief guest, which was presided over by Monjurul Amin Chowdhury, senate member of Chittagong University. Vice Chancellor of East Delta University Sekandar Khan and trade union leaders Tapan Dutta and Safar Ali also spoke on the occasion.
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