Producing diversified jute products and increasing the products' use at the domestic market can bring back the past glory of jute, speakers told a meeting yesterday.

They recommended establishing a jute products' design development centre and taking a long-term work plan for the industry's development, while mentioning seed crisis, unavailability of raw materials and not getting fair price of jute as the main barriers.

The speakers said these at a roundtable jointly organised by the Bangla daily Prothom Alo and CARE Bangladesh held at the newspaper's office in the capital, where the textiles and jute ministry officials, representatives of government and NGOs, jute factory owners, manufacturers and farmers participated.

Mirza Azam, state minister for textiles and jute, said the government will take necessary steps for the industry's development, and a design institute will also be established for the development of producing diversified jute products.

Nasima Begum, joint secretary of the ministry, said, “If we use our own product, the jute industry will be developed.”

Demanding fair price of jute a farmer in Rangpur Ali Hossain said the farmers become discouraged when they do not get fair price.

Humayun Khaled, former chairman of BJMC, asked for the government's intervention regarding this.

One of the challenges of jute cultivation is to get good quality seeds, Anowarul Haq, director of extreme rural poverty programme of CARE Bangladesh.

Sekhar Bhattacharjee, team leader of SWITCH Asia Jute Value Chain Project, said some of the problems of the jute industry will be solved if the government implement the “Jute Policy-2014”.

“Jute is a green product, so we need to campaign for its publicity. Besides, all of the stakeholders need to work together and a long-term work plan is also needed,” he said.