The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a dialogue yesterday said there is a bright prospect of jute in the county despite closing down of public mills that incurred huge financial loss.

However, they were highly critical of the role of World Bank for the present dismal condition of the country's leading economic sector.

They said there is no reason to close down any jute mills on the argument that there was no prospect of the jute sector.

The scope of enhancing use of jute goods at domestic level could be possible if the current ban on polythene was implemented properly. It would also create a great opportunity for exporting jute and jute goods to the neighbouring countries.

They called for providing high quality seeds and other inputs to the jute farmers for increasing production of high quality jute and streamlining the present jute policy.

They called upon the Government to form an independent ' Jute Board' with the representation of all major stakeholders. The board will set plan of action, guidelines, monitor performance and provide support on a daily basis. It needs to establish 'rules of the game' so that all public and private mills are operated on a market-based approach.

Their observation came at a dialogue on "In Search of a Future for the Jute Sector: Constraints, Opportunities and Policy Options" organised by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) at BRAC Inn in the city.

Prof Rehman Sobhan, Chairman, CPD presided over and Md Abdur Rashid Sarker, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles and Jute, was present as special guest.

Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Fellow of CPD presented keynote paper based on a recent study on jute farmers and manufacturing units. The study examines a spectrum of relevant issues including jute production, productivity, technology, export and marketing, cost and profit aspects, capacity utilisation, efficiency aspects and relative role of private and public sectors.

It was also attended, among others, by Atar-ul-Islam, Chairman, BJMC, Sohel Ahmed Chowdhury, former Commerce Secretary, Dr Uttam Deb, head research fellow of CPD, Shahidullah Chowdhury, Md Rezaul Karim, Chairman, Bangladesh Jute Association, Join Convener, Jute- Textile- Cotton Mill Workers Employers Action Committee, Shah Alam, Secretary, Peoples' Committee of Jute and Jute Industry, Shirin Akter, President of Karmojibi Nari, Maj (Retd) Akteruzzaman,

Moazzem said rationalisation of the size of workforce in Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) is urgently necessary.

He said there are opportunities for setting up new jute mills with repair and maintenance of unused machineries of closed mills that would create new jobs.

Sarker said there is a bright prospect of jute and the Government has taken measures for augmenting jute production.

He, however, said the CPD's study on jute maintains some unrealistic information.

Terming the jute sector as one of the maonomic sector of the country on which depended the livelihood of many people, Prof Rehman Sobhan said Bangladesh is the only country, which remains a leading grower of quality jute and producer of jute goods.

Highlighting the importance for rejuvenating and revitalising the jute sector he said public and private partnership as well as a credible 'jute policy' are required for the betterment of this sector.

He hoped the next elected government would take proper initiatives for the overall improvement of jute sector.