Bangladeshi government will reopen all closed jute mills

The government has made all arrangements for reopening two more closed jute mills - Daulatpur Jute Mills at Khalishpur in Khulna and Kawmi Jute Mills in Sirajganj. The two mills will be able to resume production after getting approval from the finance ministry as it requires about Tk 136 crore. About 5 ,000 workers will get back their jobs. The government is also taking steps to reopen all closed jute mills in phases throughout the country. Presently, 16 jute mills, out of the total 27 , under Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation ( BJMC) are in operation. The closed Khulna People's Jute Mills has been handed over to the BJMC and will be back in operation by February, taking back several thousands of workers. Meanwhile, the government has also formed a 19- member commission, with eminent economist Dr Kholiquzzaman Ahmad as its head, for formulating a time-befitting jute policy. The government has also taken steps for wide global campaigns to promote jute as the natural fibre as the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN has declared 2010 as the natural fibre year. The government is also making compulsory the use of jute in packaging goods. The country's jute mills produced 600 tonnes of jute goods in the current year, which doubles the amount produced in the last year. Jute and jute goods are exported to about 100 countries in the world, including Sudan, Egypt, Iran, Syria, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, USA, European countries, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, China and Thailand.