Bangladesh is a major agricultural country. Various agricultural products are produced in this country. Jute is one of them. Jute produced in Bangladesh has spread across the borders of the country all over the world. It has paved the way for earning foreign exchange. That is why it is called ‘Swarnasutra’ or golden fiber. Bangladesh produces the best quality jute in the world. Jute of this country is in great demand in the world market.
*Jute Production Area:
Any soil and climate is not suitable for jute cultivation. Jute production requires warm and humid climate. At the same time low land is required. Bangladesh is a country with monsoon climate. All the favorable environment for jute cultivation exists here. So jute is produced in large quantities in this country. And the jute produced in this country is the best. However, the best quality jute is available in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Tangail, Comilla and other districts. Apart from Bangladesh, jute is also produced in India, China, Thailand, Myanmar and other countries.
*Use of jute:
Jute is used to make ropes, sacks, bags, carpets etc. Besides, textiles are also made from high quality jute in England, Germany and other countries. To enhance the beauty of the house, different types of rugs, pillows, show-pieces, wall mats are made from jute. Jute is also now used in various fancy products such as purses and shoes. Jute chalk is used as fuel. Jute chalk is also in demand as a building material.
*History of the establishment of jute industry in Bangladesh:
Jute industry is the golden tradition of the economy of this country. At one time jute was the main driving force of Bangladesh's economy. 90% of foreign exchange earnings came from jute and jute products. Before independence, Bengal was the main center of jute production. The jute industry developed in India and the United Kingdom at that time based on the jute of this country. The jute mills established at Dundee in the United Kingdom ran through the jute of East Bengal. After the partition of 1947, many jute mills were set up in the country. In 1951, the world's largest jute mill 'Adamji Jute Mill' was established in Bangladesh.
*Current Status of Jute Industry:
At present there are 154 jute mills in Bangladesh. Of these, 27 are government jute mills and 128 are privately owned. But due to continuous losses in the international market, about 12 private and 6 government jute mills have been shut down. The world's largest jute mill 'Adamji Jute Mill' was closed in 2002. Among the government-closed jute mills, four state-owned jute mills in Khulna were shut down on August 1, 2006. Thousands of workers of these mills are becoming unemployed due to closure of jute mills. As a result, extreme misery is coming down in the lives of these people. Jute farmers are also losing interest in jute cultivation as they do not get a fair price for their crops. As a result, the amount of foreign exchange that the government used to earn from jute is also decreasing.
*Exports and income of jute and jute products in the current financial year:
Jute of Bangladesh was once the main source of foreign exchange. But at present this income has decreased a lot due to various reasons. According to the Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the export target for jute and jute products in the first 10 months of the 2013-14 fiscal year was set at 938 million. In contrast, the income from the export of goods in this sector has been 8 crore 48 lakh US dollars. During the same period of 2012-13, the export income of this sector was 60 million US dollars. In the first ten months of the last financial year, the income from the export of raw jute was 200 million US dollars. In the same period of the current financial year, the income of this sector has been 100 million US dollars. Therefore, it is seen that the income from jute industry is continuously decreasing.