The Golden Fiber - Jute farmers in Bangladesh

Jute is called the "golden fiber" in Bangladesh because it has a metallic shimmer and has brought local farmers modest prosperity. The leaves of the young plant can also be used to make salad and tea. But growing the plant is hard work. And it’s not always profitable. Harvesting jute stalks is usually done by hand and involves cutting the stalks with a machete. Jute farmers Ayub Ali Akand and Afaz Uddin Akand from Hijli village in Bogura district in northern Bangladesh wade deep in water while working in the fields. The bundled jute stalks are transported for further processing. Eventually, they are made into jute fabric in the region's large factories. The scientist Mubarak Ahmad Khan has taken advantage of jute’s high cellulose content and developed a biodegradable foil. This is used to make the "Sonali Bag", a sustainable replacement for the plastic bag. The development of this innovative material from jute cellulose is promising in view of the worldwide pollution of the oceans and environment, from which even Bangladesh is not spared. But will the natural product have what it takes to prevail over the multi-billion dollar plastic industry? Would commercial success make it more attractive for Ajub and Afaz and their children to continue their arduous work as "fiber farmers"?