Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) and Futamura Chemical Ltd will jointly produce eco-friendly polymer bags from jute on a commercial basis.
Desk Report
An MoU was signed between Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) and Futamura Chemical Ltd, to start the production process of environment-friendly and perishable polymer bags from jute on a commercial basis.
State Minister for Textiles and Jute Mirza Azam attended the MoU signing ceremony, which was held at the ministry’s meeting room in the Secretariat on October 2, reported state-run news agency BSS.
At the signing ceremony, Mirza Azam said that, “The name ‘golden Bag’ was given by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The production of polymer bags from commercial jute will start commercially within 6 to 9 months. Initially, the price of this bag will be slightly higher than the polythene bag, but will decrease along with the increase in production.
He observed that, “About 500 billion pieces of polythene are being produced annually across the world. Polythene will be banned globally soon. Bangladesh will be able to capture the market by exporting ‘Sonali bags.’”
Bangladeshi scientist Dr. Mubarak Ahmad Khan, a scientific advisor of BJMC and former chief scientific officer of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, created the Sonali bag from jute cellulose. The Primary Pilot Plant (PPP) for producing bags was set up at Latif Bawani Jute Mills in Demra.
About 500 billion pieces of polythene are being produced annually across the world. Polythene will be banned globally soon. Bangladesh will be able to capture the market by exporting ‘Sonali bags.
Since 2010, Dr. Mubarak Hossain had been trying to invent a biodegradable polymer from jute fiber. In 2015, he finally found success. He said that, “Although jute polymer is biodegradable, but this bag is water and air resistant and is 1.5 times stronger than polythene. It also decomposes in soil within five to six months as opposed to polythene which could take several hundred years.”
State Minister for Textiles and Jute Mirza Azam, Senior Secretary of the ministry Faizur Rahman Chowdhury, BJMC Chairman Dr. Md Mahmudul Hasan and the inventor Dr. Mubarak Ahmad Khan, among others, were present at the signing ceremony.
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