Bangladesh, the world's second largest producer of jute after India, has seen a decline in demand for the "golden fibre". However, a Bangladeshi scientist has discovered a way to transform jute into low-cost biodegradable cellulose sheets, which can be used to create environmentally friendly disposable bags that closely resemble plastic ones. The scientist, Mubarak Ahmad Khan, who is a scientific adviser to the state-run Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), and his team have developed these new 'sonali' bags, which are biodegradable within three months when buried in soil and can also be recycled. Currently, Bangladesh is producing 2,000 of these bags per day on a trial basis, with plans to increase commercial production following an agreement signed last October with the British subsidiary of a Japanese green packaging company. In March, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed the need for the swift implementation of the golden bags project to reap economic and environmental benefits. In April, the government allocated approximately $900,000 from the country's climate change trust fund to support the mass production of these bags. Mamnur Rashid, BJMC's general manager, stated that they aim to start commercial production of the sonali bags within six months once the project is fully operational. Despite Bangladesh being one of the first countries to ban plastic bags in 2002, the ban has not been very effective in preventing their accumulation in water bodies and on land. Currently, over 60 countries, including China and France, have also implemented bans on plastic bags in certain regions or cities. As the bans on plastic widen, more than 100 Bangladeshi and international companies are interested in using the new jute-based shopping bags, according to Khan. He mentioned that he receives daily inquiries from buyers in various countries including Britain, Australia, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and France. Sabuj Hossain, director of Dhaka-based export firm Eco Bangla Jute Limited, believes that there will be a significant demand for the bags worldwide and hopes to export 10 million bags per month in the future. Rashid from BJMC stated that commercial production is expected to begin towards the end of the year. Khan mentioned that even if all the jute produced in Bangladesh were used to make sacks, the country would only be able to meet a third of the expected demand. Despite Bangladesh's ban on plastic bags being in place for nearly twenty years, millions of bags are still used annually due to a lack of alternatives and weak enforcement. Dhaka alone uses around 410 million polythene bags each month, leading to environmental issues like layers of discarded bags in waterways. Quazi Sarwar Imtiaz Hashmi, a former official from the Department of Environment, believes that the new jute polymer bags will help reduce pollution as they are biodegradable and decomposable.