State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md. Shariful Alam interacted with journalists at a press conference at the conference room of the Bangladesh Secretariat on the occasion of 'National Jute Day-2026'. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, March 6, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful 
Alam has said the incumbent government is working to reopen the closed jute 
mills with a view to increasing employment opportunities in the country.

"This employment opportunity will be created by reopening the jute mills 
through the leasing process . . . About 7,200 people are working so far in 
the nine leased jute mills, which is positive for the country's production 
and employment," he told journalists yesterday at a press briefing at 
Bangladesh Secretariat conference room.
 
Under the auspices of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, the 'National Jute 
Day-2026' is being celebrated across the country today with the theme 
"Develop the jute industry, create employment".
 
The State Minister said since the export of raw jute is unprofitable; the 
government is interested in exporting processed jute products while there are 
tax exemption facilities for entrepreneurs in this regard.

Noting that the country's history, tradition and economy are intertwined with 
jute, he said the country has earned 418.69 million US dollars from the 
export of jute and jute products till December of the current fiscal year, 
which is more than the same period last year.

He said the government's goal is to increase the country's economy to one 
trillion dollars by 2034, in which the jute sector will play an important 
role.

Textiles and Jute Ministry Secretary Bilkis Jahan Rimi and senior officials 
of the ministry and departments and organisations were present.

Meanwhile, President Mohammed Shahabuddin today virtually inaugurated a nine-
day 'Jute and Multipurpose Jute Products Fair' at the Bangladesh Shilpakala 
Academy premises.