The government is setting up a Tk 100-crore fund through the Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC) to revitalise the use of jute bags and promote a cultural shift toward jute-based, eco-friendly products, said Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin on Wednesday.
Speaking at a seminar titled “The Role of Jute in Sustainable Development – Hafizuddin Ahmed and Fatema Ahmed Trust Lecture 2025” at the Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUTEX) auditorium, Bashir said the initiative aims to foster innovation and market transformation in the jute sector.
“We aim to drive a cultural change with nearly Tk 100 crore through JDPC, involving over 1,000 entrepreneurs,” he said. “Just as in the past, we want to reintroduce jute bags for everyday use. There is a huge global market for jute as wrapping material, but more research is needed to expand applications and improve efficiency.”
Calling students the “future captains”, Bashir urged them to focus on innovation and cost-effective production methods to make jute a competitive alternative to plastic. “For jute bags, we seek cultural acceptance rather than enforcement,” he added, stressing that innovation, cost reduction, and productivity will be key to commercial success and job creation.
In her keynote speech, Prof Dr Hosne Ara Begum of the Department of Yarn Engineering highlighted jute’s contribution to a sustainable, eco-friendly economy and called for exclusive use of jute bags at the upcoming Dhaka International Trade Fair.
The event, organised by the Department of Yarn Engineering, was attended by former Dhaka University professor Rashida Akhtar Khanam, Bangladesh Jute Research Institute DG Dr Nargis Akhtar, IEB Vice-President Engr Khan Manjur Morshed, IETET Convener Engr Ahsanul Karim Kaiser, faculty members, and students.
