Govt approves Tk 100m to produce biodegradable bags from jute

The government has approved about Tk 100 million to run a project for producing biodegradable Sonali bags from jute and conducting advance research on the environment-friendly bags.

The trustee board of Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF), formed under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2010, allocated Tk 90.6 million for the project at its meeting held at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Sunday.

Environment, forest and climate change minister and chairman of the trustee board Md Shahab Uddin presided over the meeting, a press release said.

Under the project of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), environment-friendly bags and packages will be produced by making biodegradable polymer from jute. Besides, employment opportunities will be created by ensuring multiple usage of jute.

Exporting Sonali bags, the project will help the government achieve the seventh Five-Year Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Under the project, a laboratory with modern equipment will be set up and necessary chemicals will be procured to conduct advance research on Sonali bags.

Agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque, state minister for shipping KM Khalid, state minister for water resources Zaheed Farooque, state minister for disaster management and relief Md Enamur Rahman, environment secretary Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury and director the trustee board Dipak Kanti Paul were present at the meeting.