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The government has announced a programme to distribute free eco-friendly school bags made of jute to primary school students across the country as part of its efforts to promote the use of natural fibres and reduce dependence on plastic products.
Under the pilot phase, around 100,000 students in all upazilas will receive the bags free of cost from July, officials said at a press conference held at the Secretariat on Monday.
The programme was announced jointly by the Ministry of Textiles and Jute and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.
Speaking at the event, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful Islam said the initiative would help raise awareness among children about environmental protection while encouraging the use of locally produced jute goods.
State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam and State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj were also present at the press conference.
Textiles and Jute Secretary Naser Khan attended the event as well.
Officials said Bangladesh remains the world's leading producer and exporter of jute and jute-based products. The country produces around 8.0 million bales of raw jute annually and earns nearly US$1.0 billion a year from exports of jute and jute goods.
The government believes that expanding the domestic use of jute products would help strengthen the sector, create employment opportunities and contribute to environmental sustainability.
According to officials, the initiative is in line with the election manifesto of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which pledged to provide environmentally friendly school bags to students.
Following the party's assumption of office after the 13th parliamentary election in February, steps have been taken to implement the commitment, they said.
With the launch of the pilot programme, the government plans to gradually expand the distribution of jute school bags to a larger number of students nationwide in the coming years, officials said.
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