Promoting the usage of ‘Sonali Bag’

The proliferation of polythene bags has not abated despite the government heavily promoting the usage of jute bags for shopping. It can be seen that shopping bags made of synthetic materials and thick papers are in massive use today and, especially, during this Eid season—despite their environmental repercussions.

The government is trying to promote widely the use of biodegradable bags instead of polythene so that pollution can be curtailed. Despite innovation in the jute industry which has led to the emergence of the “Sonali Bag”—a bag that resembles a polythene bag but is actually made out of jute fibre—no noticeable progress has been made when it comes to curbing the use of polythene bag.

Shopping bags made of jute are in fact more durable and robust than those made of polythene. If jute mills are to sustain themselves and improve their financial health, they must add shopping bags to their production line and promote them in a manner that would attract both consumers and retailers. The government too must explore more ways to promote the usage of jute handbags amongst people. This would not only help our jute industry but also make people more aware about the importance of curbing plastic pollution.