March 25, 2018

The Indian authority has initiated an investigation into the import of jute sacking cloth from Bangladesh following allegations that the item was being brought in large quantities to evade the anti-dumping duty (ADD) on jute sacking bags.

On January 5 last year, India had slapped ADD ranging from $19 to $352 a tonne on jute yarn/twine, hessian fabric and jute sacking bags brought from Bangladesh and Nepal after a year-long investigation. 

January 12, 2017

Op-Ed by Azfar Hossain

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The government of India has imposed an anti dumping duty of USD 6.30 to USD 351.72 per tonne on imports of jute products from Bangladesh and Nepal, following a recommendation by the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties. This anti-dumping duty increases the cost of jute products imported from Bangladesh. Our products are no longer able to compete with jute products manufactured in India due to higher prices as a result of the anti-dumping duty. The irony is that some of the raw jute used in making the jute products in India come from Bangladesh. Anti-dumping duty has not been imposed on raw jute. We export about 0.38 million tonnes of raw jute every year, the majority of which goes to India. Finished goods export to India are about 0.17 million tons.

March 06, 2016

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday declared that jute and jute goods will now be considered as agro-based products so that this foreign exchange-earning sector could get all the benefits country's other agro-based items get.

"Jute is an agro-based product, but other products which have little relations with agriculture are getting special benefits as the agro-based products. But jute is not getting those benefits. This is unfortunate. Let me declare one thing, we'll consider jute as an agro-based product," she said.

January 14, 2016

The government yesterday temporarily reopened raw jute export in order to clear pending export orders which amount to around 277,000 bales.

According to jute ministry, a number of 251 letters of credit (LC) have been pending since November 3, 2015 and the decision to lift the bar on export is only to clear the pending LCs. 

The decision was taken following request from exporters. “No new LC to export raw jute can be opened as per the dicision,” said Muhammad Kefayetulla, director of the Department of Jute.

He said the pending LCs were opened by 41 companies, and only they would get the facility to export during this period.

December 14, 2015

In an effort to ensure jute use in packaging, the government has extended the ban on export of raw jute for an indefinite period.

In an order issued yesterday, the Textiles and Jute Ministry   said the raw jute export would remain suspended until further notice for making use of jute mandatory in packaging of products. 

March 25, 2015

Ahmed Hossain, Managing Director, Nawab Abdul Malek Jute Mills (BD) Ltd., Dhaka has been elected Chairman of Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association for the 2015- 2016 and 2016-2017 term at the 36th annual general meeting of the association held at its office on Tuesday, said a press release.

October 06, 2015

Raw jute prices have gone up further amid low supply, making manufacturers and exporters anxious about the negative impact on exports.

The prices of good quality raw jute rose to around Tk 2,100 a maund at the end of September from Tk 1,800 in August, according to traders.

October 14, 2014

Op-Ed Article by Azfar Hossain

ALMOST every government has had a soft corner for jute; perhaps that's why the government has a separate ministry for jute and textile out of all the industries. Today people from all parts of the world know the tag “Made in Bangladesh” because of the RMG sector; but it was jute in the first place that put Bangladesh on the export map of the world and created the path for apparel goods. If jute and textiles were Marvel's Avengers, jute would be “Captain America” and RMG “Iron Man”.