He was speaking at a certificate giving ceremony organised by Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC) at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) auditorium here.

Shajahan Siraj distributed certificates among 70 entrepreneurs participated in a loom based wet processing and commodity based training programme organised by JPDC at BJRI.

The government has established the JPDC in 2002 and it helped setting up of two jute commodity industries which earn Tk 80 lakh a month by exporting jute products.

Siraj said that if some bold decisions could be taken textile and jute sector would be capable of contributing the money needed for annual national budget. Composite textile mills can provide employment to thousands of youths.

He said the government is planning to take project for producing paper pulp from raw jute by using latest technology. Bangladesh will be able to earn huge foreign exchange by exporting paper once the project is implemented, he added.

Referring to the increasing demand of environment friendly jute cotton, jute mattress, shopping bags, carpets and handicrafts items in the international markets, he said, the future of jute is still bright if the producers can present new products befitting with the changing habits of the customers.

Textile and Jute secretary M Azizul Islam, Director General Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) Dr M Shahdad Hossain, JDPC director M Rezaul Haque addressed the function with JDPC executive director Dr ABM Abdullah in the chair.