Jute industry of Bangladesh

[2] Prior to the mid-nineteenth century, jute produced in Bengal was made into rope and clothing using local hand-looms.

The Balfour and Melville firms developed a process to weaken the fabric using water and whale fat.

[3] In 1855, George Auckland, along with Bengali partner Shyamsunder Sen, established the first jute mill at Rishra, along the banks of the Hooghly River.

[3] The Union blockade during the American Civil War restricted the supply of cotton from the Confederate States of America and made it necessary for British mills to find an alternative input.

[4] In the later half of the 19th century, jute mills were opened around Kolkata, where worker numbers rapidly grew.

Adamjee Jute Mills was built with financial support from the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation.

By 1960, the number of jute mills in East Bengal had increased to 14, and 12 of them were supported by Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation.

[3] The East Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation lowered the minimum number of looms required to open a factory and encouraged small Bengali entrepreneurs.

In 1972, the government, having added socialism to the constitution of Bangladesh, nationalised all industries, including jute.

In the 1970s, rising costs, the devaluation of the taka, and internal corruption led to Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation incurring significant financial losses.

[3] In 1990, the World Bank recommended that Bangladesh appoint a firm to study the condition of the jute industry in 1990.

[9] In 2010, the Government of Bangladesh made it mandatory for wholesale manufacturers and sellers to pack rice, sugar, wheat, and fertilisers in jute bags.

[11] In January 2018, the Government of Bangladesh imposed a ban on the export of raw or unprocessed jute to ensure adequate supply for the local market.

[13] The private sector in Bangladesh are taking a renewed interest in jute as demand for biodegradable and sustainable natural fabric grows.

Khiyoo Fashion House, a Bangladeshi company, produces garments and shoes using jute.

[14] In 2017, India imposed anti-dumping tariffs on jute hessian fabric, bags and yarn.

In 2019, India expanded anti-dumping tariffs by imposing $125.21 USD on per tonne of jute sacks.

[18] NatUp Fibres, a company based in Normandy, France, has researched using jute to make interior components for cars.

[19] Golden Fibres Trade Centre exports Bangladeshi jute to car manufacturers in Germany.