PM declares jute as agricultural goods

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina announced giving jute production and jute the status of agricultural goods and extending same facilities to the agriculture sector for its production, marketing and export.
From now on jute production and jute will be considered as agri-products, she said at a function on giving awards to different organisations and individuals for their contribution in implementing the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act-2010 and inaugurating three-day Jute Goods Fair-2016 on Sunday.
‘We have to ensure diversified use of jute considering the economy of farmers and mill workers as well as its environment friendly aspects. Bangladesh still has immense opportunity to earn huge foreign exchange from jute, called our golden fibre,’ she said.
The prime minister assured announcing new wage commission to raise the wages of the workers of the mill and factories keeping consistency with the new pay scale of the civil servants.
She said jute is an important agricultural item of Bangladesh which has long been neglected despite being one of the major foreign exchange earning sector with huge potentials of diversified use, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said many things ranging from clothes, textiles, shoes, bag and tea to sunroofs of cars are now being made of jute. Jute items are also being used for river bank protection, she said.
‘Bangladesh need not beg to others if the country can utilise its own resources we can go ahead with the confidence,’ the prime minister said.
Textiles and jute minister M Imaz Uddin Pramanik presided over the function organised by the ministry of textiles and jute at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka on Sunday.
Commerce minister Tofael Ahmed, state minister Mirza Azam, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on ministry of textiles and jute Saber Hossain Chowdhury were present as special guests. Secretary of the ministry M Shahidullah Khandakar gave welcome address.
The prime minister handed over awards to 41 government and business organisations, and individuals in 13 categories for their contribution in implementing the act in a short documentary on jute and jute products was also presented.

News Courtesy: newagebd.net