ZCZC
BSS-06
SERICULTURE-DEVELOPMENT (with picture)
‘Public-private joint efforts can revitalise silk sector’
RAJSHAHI, June 30, 2018 (BSS)-Collective efforts of both public and private
sectors can be the crucial means of revitalising the silk sector for the sake
of regaining its lost glory.
All the government and other entities concerned should play an effective
and vital role in transforming the potential sector into a hub of regular
income-generation of the grassroots people leading to eradicating rural
poverty.
This observation was expressed at a view-exchanging meeting by a number of
silk related experts, researchers, businessmen and growers who unequivocally
called for boosting the sector after the best uses of existing natural
resources.
Bangladesh Sericulture Development Board (BSDB) organized the meeting
titled “Sericulture Development in Bangladesh in Present Context” at its
conference hall in Rajshahi city today.
The meeting integrated the opinion and suggestions collected from around
200 attending stakeholders to prepare a roadmap of sericulture development.
Fazley Hossain Badsha, MP, who addressed the meeting as chief guest, urged
all concerned to devise ways and means on how to develop the sector as it’s
closely related to the heritage, culture and history of Rajshahi. He put
emphasis on reopening of the now-defunct BSDB’s two silk factories as early
as possible.
Chaired by Abdul Hakim, Director General of BSDB, the meeting was
addressed, among others, by additional commissioner of Rajshahi division
Aminul Islam, Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police Mashudur Rahman
Bhuiyan and social worker Shaheen Akhter Rainy.
Taking part in the open discussion, Liakat Ali, president of Bangladesh
Silk Industries Owners Association, said boosting production of local yarn
can help revitalising the silk sector.
He viewed that the local consumption could be met through domestic outputs
after the best uses of the existing natural resources and there is no doubt
in this regard.
During his concept paper presentation, Abdul Hakim apprised the meeting
that 300 mulberry blocks were established in expansion areas for boosting
capacity of the sericulture farmers.
In last five fiscal years, BSDB has implemented two major projects
distributing 2.109 million mulberry-plants, 2.245 million disinfected silk
cocoon and 633,000 eggs among the farmers.
In the light of prime minister’s direction, sericulture has been
incorporated in the ‘Ekti Bari, Ekti Khamar (EBEK)’ project for strengthening
the agro-based economy through reviving the lost glory of sericulture.
Under the joint venture, around 2.68 lakh mulberry plants were distributed
among 1,680 EBEK members. Some 777 of them were given need-based training on
how to plant and nurse the plants properly.
Twenty-three sericulture villages were established in the potential areas
as a model to improve capacity of small and marginal farmers to establish
high yielding mulberry garden and produce superior quality of silk cocoon.
The villages have started functioning as a good centre for economic
activity and people of the adjacent areas are gradually being inspired and
involved in its income generation process.
Many grassroots people are putting in their best efforts to attain success
in sericulture through boosting local yarn production. Around 6471 kilograms
of silk yarn were produced in the public miniflature centres.
A silk design and display centre has been built side by side with various
other infrastructure developments.
More than 600,000 people are involved in this industry of which about
100,000 are cocoon growers and the rest are engaged in silk reeling,
spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing, finishing and trading activities.
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