Bangladesh, the world's second largest producer of jute after India, has seen a decline in demand for the "golden fibre" due to its high price. A Bangladeshi scientist has developed a way to transform jute into biodegradable cellulose sheets, which can be used to make eco-friendly disposable bags that resemble plastic ones. Mubarak Ahmad Khan, a scientific adviser to the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation, stated that the new 'sonali' bags have similar physical properties to plastic and are biodegradable within three months. Bangladesh is currently producing 2,000 of these bags daily on a trial basis, with plans to increase production after partnering with a Japanese green packaging company. In March, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh encouraged those involved in the project to help accelerate the widespread use of the golden bags for economic and environmental benefits. In April, the government allocated approximately $900,000 from Bangladesh's climate change trust fund to support the large-scale production of the bags. Mamnur Rashid, the general manager of the BJMC, stated that once the project is fully operational, they aim to start commercial production of the sonali bag within six months. Despite being one of the first countries to ban plastic and polythene bags in 2002, Bangladesh has struggled to effectively implement the ban. Currently, over 60 countries, including China and France, have imposed bans on plastic bags in some regions or cities. Khan mentioned that as the bans on plastic widen, more than 100 Bangladeshi and international companies are considering using the new jute-based shopping sacks. He stated that he receives emails and phone calls from buyers in various countries such as Britain, Australia, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and France on a daily basis. Sabuj Hossain, the director of Eco Bangla Jute Limited, believes that the jute bags will have a high demand globally and hopes to export 10 million bags per month in the future. Rashid from the BJMC mentioned that commercial production is expected to begin towards the end of the year. Khan stated that even if all the jute produced in Bangladesh was used to make sacks, the country would only be able to meet one-third of the demand. Despite Bangladesh's ban on plastic bags being almost two decades old, millions of bags are still used each year due to a lack of alternatives and weak enforcement. The government estimates that 410 million polythene bags are used in Dhaka each month, leading to a buildup of discarded bags in waterways like the Buriganga River. Quazi Sarwar Imtiaz Hashmi, a former deputy director general of the Department of Environment, believes that the new jute polymer bags will help alleviate pollution as they are biodegradable and decomposable.