The government is planning to lease out 12 of the state-run jute and textile industries, including some closed ones, to private entrepreneurs for resumption of production or better functioning.
The government has initiated a move to ensure mandatory use of jute for packaging certain local commodities to protect the country’s ailing jute sector from the fall-out of the global economic meltdown.
Textile and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddique has said Bangladesh can earn 500 million US dollar from export of jute and jute goods every year if both public and private sector take proper initiatives jointly.
Minister Abdul Latif participates in International Conference on Prospects of jute and Kenaf in Bangladesh-China friendship conference center.
পাট শিল্প রক্ষা করা আমাদের অঙ্গীকার। আর তাই জনগনের ভোটে নির্বাচিত সরকার এটি রক্ষার ব্যাপারে কার্যকর পদক্ষেপ নিবে। এবং প্রয়োজনে তারা আমাদের সাথে আলোচনা করবে।
Bangladeshi businessmen yesterday urged the visiting Chinese delegation to continue sending purchase teams to Bangladesh so that the country's export volume could continue to grow.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Hossain Khaled, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Zheng Qingdian, Export Promotion Bureau Vice Chairman Md Shahab Ullah, Commerce Ministry Joint Secretary Golam Hossain and the leader of the visiting Chinese delegation Liang Wentao, are seen at the signing of purchase-contracts between Chinese and local firms in Dhaka yesterday. Photo: STAR
Jute Industry in Tatters-I
Shortage in funds for raw materials, coupled with a crippling Tk 5,500 crore in accumulating debts over the years, have choked the country's public- and private-sector jute mills.
Mills owned by the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) owe over Tk 5,000 crore, while privatised mills are struggling with around Tk 500 crore in mostly inherited debts.
The massive amounts keep banks from lending to most of these mills.
A elderly farmer, drying jute in his courtyard, wonders if the golden days of the 'golden fibre' are to ever return again. Photo: STAR
Workers of three state-owned jute mills in the Khalishpur industrial belt staged demonstrations on Monday bearing symbolic coffins and wearing shrouds to press for their eight-point demand, including immediate payment of their dues and abolition of the system of hiring labourers on daily basis.
