Photo: BSS

NARSINGDI, April 21, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md. Shariful Alam today said the government is giving special emphasis on improving jute seed quality and expanding research efforts to restore the declining heritage of the country's 'golden fibre'.

He said the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) is working in coordination with the ministry to develop high-yielding local jute seeds capable of competing with imported varieties from neighboring countries.

Alongside research initiatives, steps are also being taken to ensure fair prices for jute growers, he added.

The state minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after visiting the Co-operative Jute Mills and Bangladesh Jute Mill at Palash in Narsingdi this morning.

Shariful Alam said the price of jute has recently increased to Tk 5,000 per maund from Tk 3,000, reflecting improved market conditions for farmers.

He added that, in line with the BNP's election pledge, initiatives are underway to reopen closed jute mills through leasing arrangements. Notices have already been issued for leasing several idle mills, and the evaluation process is ongoing.

The government is considering operating the mills under public-private partnership (PPP) or private management models. Efforts are also being made to attract both local and foreign investors to revive the country's jute industrial zones and boost economic activity, Shariful said.

Once the mills become operational, they will generate employment and contribute to national economic growth, he said, adding that local people would be given priority in general workforce recruitment, while specialized technical posts may require skilled workers from outside the area.

He noted that the closed jute mills once provided employment to thousands of people in Narsingdi and held significant emotional and economic value for the local community. Their reopening, he said, would help improve livelihoods in the region.

During the visit, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute Subrata Shikder, Joint Secretary Hafsa Begum, Deputy Secretaries Saiful Islam Azad and Shahadat Hossain Kabir, and BJMC Chairman Kabir Uddin Shikder, among others, were present.