Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir -File photo

SANGSAD BHABAN, July 15, 2026 (BSS) - Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir today said the government has undertaken a series of measures to expand the domestic and international markets for jute and diversified jute products while revitalising the country’s jute industry.

He said this while replying to a scripted tabled question from Mohammed Abul Hasan of Khilafat Majlis (Sylhet-5) in the Jatiya Sangsad today during the question-answer session with Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal in the chair.

Muktadir said, “The government has already taken a number of initiatives to expand the market for jute and jute products, and the Ministry of Textiles and Jute is working relentlessly to implement those measures.”

He said the government has been conducting mobile court drives to enforce the Mandatory Use of Jute Packaging Act, 2010, aiming to increase the use of jute products in the domestic markets and curb environmental pollution caused by synthetic packaging.

He said the government has also formulated the Jute Act, 2017, the National Jute Policy, 2018, and the Charcoal Policy, 2022 to ensure the sustainable development of the jute sector. 

“Exporters of jute and jute goods are being provided with cash incentives to boost overseas shipments,” he added.

Highlighting support for entrepreneurs, Muktadir said, “The government is providing assistance to small-scale jute entrepreneurs through the Jute Diversification Promotion Centre PLC (JDPC),”
He said the government is implementing the “Production and Expansion of Improved Technology-based Jute and Jute Seed” project to increase the production of high-quality jute fibre for the industry.

The minister said plans have been taken to establish “Jute Product Corners” at Bangladesh missions abroad and international airports across the country to promote jute goods. Besides, the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, the Department of Jute and the JDPC are jointly organising jute product fairs at important locations across the country to attract local and foreign buyers.

He also said that, following the directives of the Prime Minister, the Department of Jute has planned to distribute jute-made school bags free of cost among primary school students under an ongoing project. 

Regarding state-owned jute mills, Muktadir said, “Initiatives have been taken to reopen the jute mills that were shut down in 2020 in line with the government’s election manifesto.”

He said 25 mills under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) were closed in 2020 under a government decision. So far, 14 mills have been leased out for private management, of which nine have already resumed production, while the remaining mills are being leased out in phases.