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If necessary, law will be enacted for mandatory use of jute bags in packing and marketing of cement, fertiliser, sugar and foodgrains, Jute and Textile Minister Shahjahan Siraj said Thursday, reports UNB.
Talking to reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting at the Jute Ministry conference room, he also said if jute bags are used in everything, a huge amount of foreign currency, now spent on importing raw materials to make polypropylene bags, can be saved.
The inter-ministerial meeting was organised after the Jute Ministry received a letter from the Prime Minister's Office asking the farmer to consider making the use of jute bags compulsory in packing commodities by government enterprises. Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) earlier wrote to the PMO drawing attention to the matter.
Terming it an important national issue, the jute minister said that around thirty million people are involved in the jute sector. If jute bags are used everywhere, the jute mills can be run throughout the year to create more employment.
The meeting discussed whether a law like India's 'Jute Packing Material Act 1987' could be introduced in the country to make the use of jute bags compulsory.
Addressing the meeting, Siraj said the jute industry is now on the verge of ruination and it is high time to do everything possible to save the once lucrative industry.
Recalling the golden era of jute, he said the jute mills are being shut down one after another due to financial problems. The government's inability to provide adequate funds made things worse, he added.
The jute minister said as the jute mills in Bangladesh are being closed down, the Indian government has invested nearly Tk 45 million to develop their jute industry by setting up new jute mills.
Calling neighbouring India as Bangladesh's main competitor in the world market, he said unless appropriate actions are taken immediately, India would solely dominate the world jute market.
The meeting pointed out that jute bags were more expensive than the currently used bags made of polypropylene. As a result, different organisations are reluctant to use jute bags for packing their produce.
It decided that a secretary-level interministerial meeting will take place to discuss the implementation of the proposal, which will be followed up in cabinet meeting.
Officials from different ministries and representatives of BJMA and BJMC also spoke in the meeting.
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