The government has deferred its scheduled drive against non-compliance with mandatory jute packaging law for more than a month following appeals from the traders concerned, said the State Minister for Jute.
The authorities had planned to crack down on non-users of jute bags under the existing jute packaging act from July 01 while monitoring compliance with mandatory use of jute bags.
But it is delaying the mobile court drive mainly for fear of a further price spiral of essential commodities during the holy month of Ramadan.
State Minister for Textiles and Jute Mirza Azam said following the request of millers and factory owners, the authorities have delayed the operation. But it will be launched after first seven days of Ramadan.
He said traders have requested for not starting mobile court operation during the month of Ramadan month as usually prices of all sorts of products increase in this time.
The traders think the prices may increase further following such a drive, he added.
The mobile court will launch drives in factories, mills and related spots across the country to monitor mandatory use of jute bags, said the State Minister.
Jute bags will have to be used to pack paddy, rice, wheat, maize, fertiliser and sugar, according to the packaging law.
He said after proper implementation of the packaging law, local consumption of jute bags is expected to increase and the exporters will get better prices.
According to the act, if any stakeholder violates the law, he or she will be jailed up to one year or fined Tk 50,000 or both the penalties will be applicable considering the degree of his/her non-compliance.
If the law is implemented successfully, total domestic consumption of jute bags has been estimated to stand at 450 million yearly, according to the ministry sources.
Rice and husking mills and rice traders will have to use around 350 million pieces of jute bags, the Food Department 50 million and fertiliser factory owners and importers 50 million a year.
But a study by Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) senior research fellow Khondaker Golam Moazzem in 2010 showed that the country needed 841 million pieces of jute bags for domestic use yearly.
The study mentioned uses of jute bags in packing paddy, wheat, potato, pulses, oil seed, sugar and cement.
Earlier, the ministry published a gazette on implementation of the Jute Packaging Act 2010. The execution was to start from January 01, 2014.
The government-owned Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) will provide 50 per cent of jute bags and another 50 per cent will be supplied by private sectors including the Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) and traders.
But BJMA chairman Shams-uz Zoha said following lower international demand, the jute mills are struggling hard to survive. Some five jute mils have already been forced to announce lay-off.
So the government should go for drive as early as possible to protect the millers' interest, he said.
He, however, said the private mills are not getting equal opportunities in supplying the product.
The government had taken various programmes to create awareness among the people about usefulness of environment-friendly jute bags.
The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data showed that the country's export earnings from jute bags and sacks stood at $92.33 million during the July-April period of FY 2013-14 as against US$193.52 million in the corresponding period of FY 2012-13. It registered a 52 per cent lower growth.
About 7.0 million bales of jute are produced in the country every year. Of these, some 4.5-5.0 million bales are usually required for local jute industries and the rest are kept for export.
Drive against non-compliance in mandatory jute bag use deferred
Arafat Ara | Published: July 01, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
Share if you like