The Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) has participated in the National Jute Fair 2017 with the aim of showcasing its unique bio-degradable and eco-friendly product, the ‘jute polybag’. BJMC was showcasing the jute polybag at the five-day-long National Jute Fair 2017, which ended yesterday, on the premises of Krishibid Institution in the capital. The textiles ministry and the Jute and Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC) jointly organised the fair to attract domestic entrepreneurs and buyers and to display local products made of jute to foreign buyers. To improve the jute polybags’ marketability, research is currently being conducted by the chief scientific officer of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BARC), Dr Mubarak Ahmad Khan, disclosed BJMC officials. In response to a question, BJMC assistant manager Nurul Huda told The Independent that the jute polybag is a polybag entirely made of jute. A component, named ‘cellulose fibres’, is being used in it. Describing the characteristics of this product, he said, “The jute polybag is easily biodegradable and mixes with the soil in three to four days. This is a purely eco-friendly product and is not harmful for the environment.” Huda displayed another product, named ‘jute fibre sheet’, to this correspondent. Huda explained that jute fibre is like a corrugated iron sheet, but made entirely with jute and fibre. Explaining the durability of this product, he said that the jute fibre sheet is heat-resistant and can easily resist hailstorms up to 10kg. “The price of this product is Tk 146 per square feet,” Huda added. According to the JDPC’s organisers, 61 stalls from 95 different institutions were taking part in this Jute Fair. Their stalls had come up with products like cushion covers, bedcovers, sofa covers, curtains, blankets, table-mats, carpets and mobile covers. One of these was Pervin Handicrafts, a manufacturer of handicrafts products made of jute, which had brought some 400 diversified jute products to the fair. The owner of Pervin Handicrafts, Pallab Hasan, said: “We were primarily highlighting two products: sarees and mobile bags made entirely of jute.” The price of the jute-made saree was Tk 3,000, he added. Corefield Limited has presented 20 to 25 diversified jute products at the fair. Corefield Limited managing director Jahidul Islam said: “We have products like shoe-hangers, terracotta, and tissue boxes, all manufactured from jute.” The frame of the terracotta is made of wood, but the design is completely prepared from jute. It costs Tk 5,000 each, he added. Corefield is at present exporting jute products to Canada and some European countries, said officials of Terracotta. Again, Jermatz Limited is fulfilling the demand for jute products among local handicraft industries and is exporting these as well. The managing director of Jermatz Limited, Ismat Jerin Khan, explained that following its inception in 2015, it is exporting products like jute shopping bags, jute promotional bags, canvas tote bags and home decor products to countries like Germany and Austria. Khan described the challenges facing this sector, saying: “We don’t have adequate design labs to produce innovative colours for jute products compatible with buyers’ demands.” She urged all to come forward and revive this sector in order to make it more accessible to small and medium enterprise (SME) loans. Jermatz Limited has brought 16 diversified jute products to the fair, she added.
