Papermaking from Jute: A Win-Win Solution for Bangladesh

This paper reviews the availability and suitability of nonwood fibers for papermaking in Bangladesh and analyzes the economic, developmental and environmental implications of using jute for this purpose. It summarizes the literature on the availability and suitability of nonwood fibers for papermaking and then analyzes the economic viability of this process in Bangladesh by comparing the costs of jute pulp with those of imported paper pulp. It then summarizes broader economic and environmental aspects of using jute for papermaking in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is facing an acute shortage of fibrous raw materials for the production of pulp and paper while the demand for paper and paper products is increasing day by day. On the other hand, Bangladesh has a huge amount of unused jute fiber, which is highly suitable for papermaking in the country. It also finds that jute is economically viable for papermaking in Bangladesh and would contribute to Bangladesh’s urgently needed economic diversification. It finally shows that there are no intrinsically negative implications on the environment from using jute for papermaking in Bangladesh. In short, using jute for papermaking constitutes a win-win solution for the country.