(BSS) – Agriculture Adviser Lt. Gen. Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd.) stressed the need for bringing back the past glory of jute.

“We have to bring back the past glory of jute by motivating the farmers in growing more jute as they can get benefit from it through multiple use of the golden fiber,” he said while talking to journalists after exchanging views with the scientists and officials of the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) at Manik Mia Avenue here.

The adviser said once upon a time Bangladesh had earned huge foreign exchange by exporting jute abroad, adding that the golden days had gone away.

“Nowadays, farmers have no interest in growing jute as they are getting more benefits through planting other crops. So, we have discussed with the scientists on how we can enhance the jute production,” he said.

The scientists have already invented 56 species of the jute, he said.

About the ban on use of polythene from November 1, he said that the use of polythene has already been decreased manifolds.

“The use of polythene will be stopped completely in the days to come which may require much time,” he opined.

The adviser said the polythene producing factories will soon be closed down.

“We are trying to substitute polythene with the bags of jute at the lower price,” he said.

Agriculture Secretary Dr. Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian and BJRI Director General Dr Nargis Akter, spoke on the occasion.