Jute can transform our future

Md. Shah Amran
Ph.D. Fellow
Department of Pharmacology
Yamanashi medical University
Japan
e-mail: amran@res.yamanashi-med.ac.jp

A few days before I was walking through a "hundred yen shop" to buy some small but essential household materials. As similar to American "One dollar shop", in Japan there are "hundred yen" shops almost in every supermarket that sales goods at hundred yen only. In Japanese these are called "hyaku yen mise". In a corner I noticed some jute bags and I rushed to that corner. These were nice woven bags. First I thought these have been imported from Bangladesh and I decided to buy some to offer my Japanese friends as gift. But in the bottom it was written 'made in India'. According to the known statistics Bangladesh is the largest manufacturer of jute but the Japanese supermarkets are filled with the jute goods of India. So I abandoned the desire to buy these bags. Next day after comeback to my laboratory I searched for jute and jute goods. There are thousands of websites from both India and Bangladesh. I selected some from both Bangladesh and India and read these meticulously. I was astonished to see the enormous usage of jute and jute goods. But India is far ahead of us in respect multiple use, plans and future projects. I also browsed the website of "Bangladesh Jute Research Institutes".

It is also filled with bright prospect of jute but reality is different. We do not have much resources but surely there are some precious and prospective assets. Jute is among one of them. It is such a plant that each and every part of jute is usable. Young and tender leaves, for example can be eaten as vegetable. Even in Japan young and tender jute plants are available in the supermarkets as vegetable. I myself bought these small whole plant vegetable items many times. The jute fiber is used to make rope, sacks, yarn, fabrics and carpets. The long stick (known as pat kathi or shola) is used as fuel, and also fencing and thatching of the houses in the rural Bangladesh. The hairy part in the bottom of rotten jute tree, when dried, used also as a good fuel. When these are cleaned enough and processed, can be used as alternative of cotton (Tula) to fill the pillow. The root of tree remained during cutting may be collected in summer season and used as good fuel.

Some of the usage of jute both in Bangladesh are:

Common Usage:
1. Handicrafts-bamboo basket with braided jute interwoven, jute and jute cotton applique, photo frame, ornament box (new item may be: Tissue box)
2. Bags-Beach bags, Sling bags, transparent braided bag used for university, college and school bags by students.
3. Footware-Ladies clogs, sandal (choti) and jute-leather sandal
4. Fabrics- Jute and cotton at a ratio of 70:30 used for home decoration
5. Accessories-Apron for use as kitchen wear, cushion for home furnishing
6. Composite-jute-plastic pellet for multi-purpose , composite board for interior design for false ceiling, yarn composite (plate , glass, paposh) multipurpose use.

Special use:
1. Geo-Jute:
Jute for the Future Versatility usage of jute is coming to light as the world looks for natural options to save the environment. Jute is now offering better and ideal solutions for conserving the soil and environment and also in applications like civil engineering. The distinguishing features that make jute more and more eco-friendly are: high moisture absorption capacity, flexibility and drainage properties. GeoJute finds application in: erosion control, separation, filtration and drainage in civil engineering works, agriculture uses. Advantages that Geojute offer are: abundant availability, superior drapability, greater moisture retention capacity, lower costs compared to the synthetic geotextiles, ease of installation and bio-degradable properties.
The prospect for jeo-jute is enormous. Jeo-jute can be a good source of earning of the foreign currency by exporting to the foreign countries like Japan and European countries if appropriate measures are taken in governmental level.

After World war II Japan was a devastated economy. On the other hand they have no natural resources to mention and the goods now they export all over the world, like car, electronics, films etc none of then were invented in Japan. But in one point they acquired excellency is the technology to produce these materials in a comparatively less price but better quality. If we can produce jute goods in a comperatively less price but better quality, then we can acquire world market of jute and jute goods

2. Food grade bags
Currently jute is used as sacks for food products that are not consumed as such. But the jute bags and clothes, if processed under proper technology can be used as the best and safest packaging materials for food products in general, especially for coffee, cocoa beans and edible nuts that are consumed directly.

3. Pharmaceutical aid
According to the demand in the BJRI website, they established the chemical process for the production of cellulose derivarivessuch as Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), oxalic acid, cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrates and activated charcoal from jute and jute wastes. The process for the production of MCC has been leased out to BEXIMCO. An MOU has been signed between BJRI and Kamrul Engineering and trading for commercial production of CMC. It is well known that both MCC and CMC are widely used pharmaceutical aid or auxiliary substance to manufacture medicines. There are about 210 pharmaceutical industries in the country. Cellulose acetate is used as a tablet coating material. CMC is also widely used in cosmetic, toiletries and chemical industries. Therefore, if these cellulose derivatives can be prepared in a "cost-effective" way then it will save crores of currency now used to import these materials. Bravo to BJRI and BEXIMCO for their endeavor.

4. Jute-plastic combination products
Also according to the demand in the BJRI website, they established the chemical process for the production of blankets from jute-acrylic blend developed simultaneously BJMC and BJRI. To commercialize this process a MOU has been signed between BJRI and Grameen Uddog of Professor Dr. Mohammad Yunus.

Role of the NGOs:
Non governmental developing agencies can take various projects based on jute. They can make, for example, good quality jute bags for school, college and university students' use, foot wares, photo frame, jewelry box, tissue box frame. One of the NGOs started working with jute in 1973. It is CORR-The jute works, Bangladesh. It began working with jute in 1973 with special mission to rehabilitate war-affected poor rural women of Bangladesh. Now, in Bangladesh the NGOs are increasingly involving in commercial activities. They can put a eye on jute and jute products as their commercial activity. I already mentioned about Grameen Uddog. In this respect one thing must be ensured and that is: Availability of jute yarn & fabrics and other raw jute goods at mill gate price in desired quantity at different locations of the country.

Paper from Jute:
Recently I saw a documentary in the NHK (Japanese national Broadcasting authority) on Bangladesh and I also have a Video tape of that program. In that documentary they showed how Bangladeshi women manually manufacture paper from water hyacinth using locally developed technology. I request the Scientist of BJRI to look at this point. If paper can be manufactured from jute by such locally developed technology, it will be great contribution to the nations. And NGOs can, hopefully, be involved in
this project.

What Bangladesh can do:
Bangladeshi jute products are of good quality and suitable to use. But we have to increase the awareness of peoples of all file and rank to avoid foreign goods and use our jute goods as prayer mate, blankets, yarn and fabrics, school bags, sandals, kitchen aprons, jewelry box cover, tissue box cover, cushon.

In Japan I have noticed that up to college level, the school and college authority choose bags for the students. These bags are available in particular shops. Parents of the students are compelled to buy those particular bags. (I also have to buy this bag by 12000\~Tk 6000/, because my son is a elementary school student). In Bangladesh, the school and college authority can select our jute bags as school / college bags for the students. Recently, jute bags are being used as substitute for thin poly bags. This is a very good sign because these jute bags are biodegradable whereas polybags are bot biodegradable and are a threat for environment, drainage system, soil fertility and also for health (when burnt for recycling purpose).

I want to draw the attention of the ministry of jute, ministry of textiles (including Ready Made Garment sector) and ministry of industries to work together and allocate sufficient money in the research in jute sector and evaluate the scientists now working in this field.

Last but not the least, the related body/organizations of the government can do the following to increase the awareness of the mass peoples of the country:

(i) Telecast and broadcast eye-catching advertisements on jute goods using electronic and print media
(ii) Encourage students of universities, colleges and schools to use jute bags
(iii) Encourage and appeal on the good sense of ladies to use jute bags as fashion bags, jewellery box cover, tissue box cover, photo frame, cushon, kitchen aprons, sandals, etc.
(iv) Appeal on the good sense of artists, designers, TV & Film actor /actress to use jute goods in public functions
(v) Motivate textile (Cloth) shop owners to keep jute made fabrics and not to sale smuggled foreign cloths however profitable those may be. (vi) Motivate and involve the NGOs and Female organizations for the promotion of jute goods

(vii) Allocate big amount of money for research and encourage the present researchers in BJRI by giving them various incentives such as higher salary, cash prize, awards for their current contribution and telecast those in electronic and print media. And also develop a system for yearly evaluation of the creative activity of these scientists.
(viii) Expand the marketing system of jute goods so that peoples can buy these products at mill gate price (or, possible lowest price) in desired quantity at different locations of the country along with textile
(ix) Make arrangements for Fair, Exhibition in all district and Upozella headquarters at 3 months intervals
(x) Create new concepts and designs using and involving BJRI, BJMC experts and use these new
concepts and designs by developing and training women in remote and rural clusters with cooperations of
NGOs.