Govt plans to bring back glorious past of silk industry*****

The government has planned to bring back the glorious past of the silk industry, considering the potentials of the sector, officials said. To this effect, the ministry to textiles and jute will initiate steps so that every household can get inspired to cultivate mulberry tree to produce silk worms and cocoon to help flourish the industry. Earlier on 24th April a meeting was held at the ministry to develop the country's ailing silk industry. Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddique and representatives of Bangladesh Silk Industries Owners Association (BSIOA) and Silk Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (SMEAB) were present. The textiles and jute minister stressed bringing back the past glorious image of the country's silk industry by giving all-out support to the farmers to make the country self-sufficient in producing silk. "We have a plan to implement this under the government's on-going project 'One Household: One Farm' to encourage every household to plant saplings of mulberry tree," Textiles and Jute Secretary Md Ashraful Moqbul told the FE. He said the government has formed a five-member committee to recommend establishing 'Department of Sericulture' to give boost to the silk sector. Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute (BSRTI), Bangladesh Sericulture Board (BSB) and Bangladesh Silk Foundation (BSF) are now involved in developing the silk sector.