Leasing out of closed jute mills

We feel that the government's plan to resuscitate five of the eight jute mills closed down during its watch is a worthwhile move. It makes good economic sense to reopen the closed state-owned jute mills - by leasing these out and giving their operating responsibility to private entrepreneurs.
It was a pity to see the decline and the near-moribund state of not only the jute mills, that were nationalised after liberation - but also of many of the state owned enterprises (SOEs), that had, instead of contributing to the state coffer, became a liability beyond the absorption capability of an economy like ours. The failure was not so much in the policy though as in its implementation.
The failure of the jute sector in Bangladesh had been made more poignant by the fact that whereas our jute mills were involved in the vanishing act, many new ones were appearing across our eastern border. One could engage in long analyses of how and why these factories ran up huge debts, but nobody should grudge the endeavour to restart them.
If our experience with the SOEs has been rather shocking, we can take hope from the performance of the private sector. The lessees must be commended for having taken up a great challenge by undertaking to turn a loss making concern into one of profit. Looking at the past performance of some of the lessees one feels quite confident that the derelict mills would once again be revived. Let's not forget, it is lease not a sell-out. The move should not be merely a transfer of real estate, and the retrenched workers should be the first to be absorbed as staff and workers.
One would hope that this would usher in the revival of the jute sector, and given the demand for goods made of natural fibre that are biodegradable, there is no reason why we cannot take our jute business on the path to ascendancy by making, among the many jute products, jute bags popular in the country and in international markets. In this context we would like to suggest that the government should formulate a vigorous market strategy, both for home and abroad, to make jute goods popular once again. The opportunity for jute products is unlimited - we have to seize it.