In the past, jute sector was the major foreign exchange earner contributing more than 80 percent of the total foreign exchange of the country. But the share of jute sector towards foreign exchange earning started to decline due to the inroad of various synthetic substitutes and artificial fibres. Nevertheless, the importance of jute in the national economy of Bangladesh can hardly be overemphasized, as it is still the third important source of foreign exchange. Jute is the major cash crop of the country and about 3-3.5 million farmers are associated with production of jute. Almost one fifth of the total population of the country is directly or indirectly involved in jute production, transportation, processing and marketing. The jute sector provides about 10 per cent of total employment in the economy. Bangladesh exports ...............% of her jute either in raw or processed forms. About ...........% of the world demand of raw jute and 50% of that of jute goods are met by Bangladesh.
