Home ›› 10 Dec 2021 ›› News
The government has approved formation of Jute Sector Industry Skills Council (JSISC) that will jointly work with National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) aiming to produce skilled human resources.
Md Hafizur Rahman, additional secretary of the commerce ministry approved the JSISC on December 6, under section 28 of the Company Act 1994, said a notification issued by the government.
Based on the demands of national and international labor market, NSDA, which operates under the prime minister office, create skilled human resources through planning and coordination of all skills development activities.
Formation of 11-member JSISC was a part of NSDA’s gradual work of making skills manpower.
“As part of NSDA framework, we will form JSISC. We just got the approval as our Chairman informed me. Now we will hold a meeting and discuss about the further courses.” Md Rashedul Karim Munna, secretary general of NSDA told The Business Post.
After the country’s independence, jute sector and jute related goods were the largest and major export-oriented products of Bangladesh.
But the sector failed to expand further due to scarcity of proper management, modernisation and skill workers. Currently, jute is the third largest export earnings sector of Bangladesh.
Development of skilled workers, proper marketing will enable the jute sector to perform better as it produces environment-friendly products which are witnessing increasing demands in the western markets, Industry insiders said.
“To dominate the European market, Bangladesh needs a huge skilled workforce, thanks to the government for finally approving the JSISC. I urge the JSISC board to focus on diversification and development of jute products,” said Esrat Jahan Chowdhury, chief executive officer of Tulika and director of Bangladesh Jute Goods Exporters Association.
Earlier in August, Saudi Arabia expressed interest to invest in the production of jute goods after reopening the closed mills of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), reports UNB.
Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Issa bin Youssef Al-Duhailan showed his country’s willingness at a meeting with Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi (Bir Pratik).
At the meeting, the minister assured the Saudi ambassador that the world’s best quality jute is grown in Bangladesh. Now different high quality and attractive multi-purpose jute products are being produced from this fibre. Jute products are completely environment friendly, he said.
Besides, a scientist at International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) has won a grand prize for her proposed innovation in developing a machine to produce jute cellulose-based sanitary pads for sustainable menstrual health, recently.
Farhana Sultana, Assistant Scientist at icddr,b won the prize at the 4th Annual Innovations Pitch Competition on ‘A Healthier Global Community Addressing the Twin Challenges of Pandemic Preparedness and Impact of Climate Change.’
Farhana manually developed and piloted the jute cellulose-based disposable pad in collaboration with Dr Mubarak Ahmed Khan, scientific advisor at Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation.
