It is dismaying to learn that 64% of total land of Bangladesh Jute Corporation (BJC) remains illegally occupied by different individuals and organizations.
Jute, which was once considered the golden crop for Bangladesh, has seen sharp regression in recent years. Yet, its potential as an export product, especially in light of the world looking towards more sustainability, remains as high as ever.
Jute products can be marketed as being eco-friendly and could be a high-quality substitute for plastic. To that end, ensuring that we have the right policies in place so that jute can once again realize its potential as Bangladesh's golden crop has become more important than ever before.
The question remains, however, on how we are to even begin when more than half of the potential land allocated for jute cultivation is in the hands of illegal land grabbers.
What is important, first and foremost, is to once again free these lands to be used for what they were intended for; the fact that a wide range of individuals and organizations have been reported to be on land of the BJC also indicates that there is little to no system in place, and it is very possible that some of these institutions do not know themselves that they are on illegal land.
This is where a concerted effort is the only solution. With about 300 cases of the BJC already in the courts, we cannot simply wait for this to be played out in courts. Prompt action from the authorities is required. These are the sort of issues that must be eliminated as Bangladesh looks to build upon its Vision 2021 towards establishing a smart and prosperous nation in the next two decades.
