Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced giving jute production and jute the status of agricultural goods and extending same facilities to the agriculture sector for its production, marketing and export.
From now on jute production and jute will be considered as agri-products, she said at a function on giving awards to different organisations and individuals for their contribution in implementing the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act-2010 and inaugurating three-day Jute Goods Fair-2016 on Sunday.
"We have to ensure diversified use of jute considering the economy of both farmers and mill workers as well as its environment friendly aspects. Bangladesh still has immense opportunity to earn huge foreign exchange from jute, called our golden fibre," she said.
The prime minister assured announcing new wage commission to raise the wages of the workers of the mill and factories keeping consistency with the new pay scale of the civil servants.
She said jute is an important agricultural item of Bangladesh which has long been neglected despite being one of the major foreign exchange earning sector with huge potentials of diversified use.
Sheikh Hasina said many things ranging from clothes, textiles, shoes, bag and tea to sunroofs of cars are now being made of jute. Jute items are also being used for river bank protection, she said.
"Bangladesh need not beg to others if the country can utilize its own resources we can go ahead with the confidence," the prime minister said.
The prime minister handed over awards to 41 government and business organisations, and individuals in 13 categories for their contribution in implementing the act in a short documentary on jute and jute products was also presented.
