No decision on raw jute export, says minister

The government has not taken any decision on exporting raw jute and it is strengthening monitoring so that no one can create any artificial crisis of jute in the local market, Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi has said.

The Ministry of Textiles and Jute held a meeting with millers and jute-goods exporters at the ministry on Sunday. Golam Dastagir Gazi presided over the meeting and said that the government will continue monitoring in the local market so that it does not fall prey to any syndicate.

Secretary at the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, Md Abdul Mannan, Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA) President Sheikh Sayed Ali, Bangladesh Jute Mill Association (BJMA) Chairman Mohammed Mahbubur Rahman Patwari and Bangladesh Jute Goods Exporters Association (BJGEA) President Md Shafiqul Isalm, among others, attended the meeting.

Golam Dastagir Gazi said, “We will take initiative to keep raw jute supply uninterrupted to local mills for continuation of export earnings from jute-made goods”.

Millers and exporters at the meeting alleged that there are syndicates active in the local market who are hiking price of raw jute. They also demanded a ban on raw jute export until December 2021.

Mohammed Mahbubur Rahman Patwari, Chairman of Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) spoke to The Business Post and said, “We presented our problems to the minister and he listened to us.

He assured us that the ministry will strictly monitor the market. But there was no decision on banning raw jute export.”.

Earlier on July 14, BJGEA sent a letter to the jute ministry seeking a ban on raw jute export and urging the government to take immediate measure in eliminating syndicates from the local market. BJMA also wrote to the ministry on the same issue.

“If the government does not ban raw jute export, then our sufferings will continue. The government must take a decision in this regard as soon as possible,” Esrat Jahan, CEO of Tulika and Director of BJGEA told The Business Post.