The parliamentary standing committee on textiles and jute ministry on Thursday recommended the government for imposing high import duties on raw materials of polythene with a view to discouraging polythene bags and encouraging jute-packing.
Members of the watchdog body at a meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad came up with a suggestion to form a sub-committee to probe whether the properties of the ministry have been sold out flouting the rules, committee chief Saber Hossain Chowdhury told New Age after the meeting.
‘We want to increase the domestic use of jute-goods and low price of polythene has been identified as major obstacles in this field. We have recommended imposing high import duties on raw materials of polythene,’ Saber Hossain said adding, ‘I have already talked to prime minister and finance minister in this regard.’
‘If the polythene price becomes higher than that of jute-goods, people will find interest in using jute-bags,’ he said.
The chairman also said that all the committee members discussed that the newspapers have been publishing dozens of reports on selling of jute ministry properties by former minister Abdul Latif Siddique, flouting rules. The members came up with a suggestions for a sub-committee to probe whether any irregularities took place in selling the ministry properties flouting the rules.
‘As a probe is undergoing as per the order from the prime minister’s office in this regards, we would wait until the current probe concludes,’ Saber said.
The meeting was attended by jute and textile minister M Emaz Uddin Pramanik, its state minister Mirza Azam, committee members
Begum Munnujan Sufian, Mohammad Ekramul Karim Chowdhury, Fahme Golandaz Babel, Enamul Haque, Kezendra Lal Tripura and Sabina Aktar Tuhin.
-With New Age input
