The government on Monday decided to reopen five state-owned jute mills under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation for rejuvenating the industry.
The mills to be reopened include Quami Jute Mills in Sirajganj, Daulatpur and People’s jute mills in Khulna, MM Jute Mills in Chittagong and the second phase of the Rajshahi Jute Mills, prime minister’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting at the secretariat.
The meeting, chaired by prime minister Sheikh Hasina at the secretariat, also asked the finance ministry to immediately disburse Taka 35 crore to the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation for reopening the jute mills, said a state minister.
Jute ministry officials placed a study report showing that Taka 176.8 crore would be needed for revival of the mills.
At the meeting, Hasina renewed her vow to restore the lost glory of jute, the ‘golden fibre’ of Bangladesh, said Azad.
The prime minister also requested the people to use jute products in greater quantity to protect the environment from pollution caused by the use of polythene and other synthetic materials.
The government has decided to reopen all the closed jute mills, including the Adamjee Jute Mills, in phases to encourage the sector and ensure diverse uses of jute goods.
Adamjee, the biggest jute mills in Asia, was shut down during the then BNP-led government in 2002. Moreover, some other jute mills were also closed during the tenure of the BNP government on grounds the mills were incurring losses.
Hasina asked the authorities concerned to introduce courses on jute at the tertiary level to create resources in the sector.
