Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, MP, has said, “The government will provide all possible assistance to increase the production of versatile jute and jute products to build a clean and pollution-free Bangladesh.
Therefore, considering the demand of the domestic and international market, the Ministry of Textiles and Jute will be keen to use the stimulus announced by the government to motivate the jute farmers and expand the jute industry properly and efficiently.”
He said this at a meeting to review the activities of the ministry and its subordinate departments and agencies at the end of the general holiday announced by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus-borne disease Covid-19.
Textiles and Jute Secretary Lokman Hossain Mia and Additional Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad were present at the meeting. The meeting was held at the office of the Hon'ble Minister of Textiles and Jute on Sunday.
The Minister said the government is implementing a project titled 'Advanced Technology Based Jute and Jute Seed Production and Expansion' under the Department of Jute from July 2018 to March 2023 with a view to increase the production of quality jute and achieve self-sufficiency in jute seed production. The project is being implemented in 230 upazilas of 46 districts of the country.
Through the implementation of the project, training of farmers on advanced techniques of jute cultivation and increase in production of quality jute and jute seeds as a whole will continue with all possible assistance including free distribution of 390 MT of jute seeds to the farmers.
The minister said the government has announced incentives to make the readymade garments and textile sector stronger, safer and more competitive. The Department of Textiles and the Ministry of Textiles and Jute are functioning as the 'supporting authority' of the textile sector.
It was announced at the meeting that the potential loss of weavers due to coronavirus (Covid-19) situation has been assessed and an action plan has been formulated to mitigate this loss.
A list of 300 affected weavers has been prepared with the aim of providing working capital for socio-economic development of weavers and providing loans at 5% interest to weavers under the project of modernization of weavers. Relief and financial assistance has been provided to the affected weavers.
Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) has entered into agreements with Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and the Department of Food to ensure the provision of emergency agricultural services to cope with the crisis of corona outbreak.
In the first ten months (July-April) of the current 2019-20 fiscal year, Bangladesh earned 79 crore taka by exporting jute and jute products. This figure is 14 percent higher than the same period last year and 17 percent more than the target. Through this, for the first time, the jute sector took the second place in the export trade of Bangladesh, surpassing leather.
