The Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA) has urged the government to immediately stop the export of jute sliver, arguing that the practice is disrupting the raw jute market and allowing the misuse of government export incentives.

In a letter submitted to Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir Chowdhury on July 15, the association said that although raw jute exports have effectively remained suspended since September 8, 2025, exports of jute sliver—a semi-processed form of raw jute—have continued under the guise of jute products.

According to the BJA, some jute mill owners are exporting large quantities of jute sliver while claiming a 10 percent cash export incentive by using the HS code designated for jute products, despite the absence of a separate HS code for jute sliver. The association described the practice as inconsistent with existing government policies.

The BJA noted that the Bangladesh Jute Mills Association and the Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association jointly called for a ban on jute sliver exports on October 28, 2024, but no effective action has been taken over the past one and a half years.

In its letter, the association argued that the raw jute sector supports the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of workers but receives no government incentive. In contrast, jute sliver production requires comparatively fewer workers, yet exporters are benefiting from a 10 percent cash subsidy by classifying the product under the HS code for jute goods.

BJA Chairman Khandaker Alamgir Kabir said the suspension of raw jute exports has enabled jute mill owners to dominate the domestic market, depriving farmers of fair prices for their produce.

He also alleged that government incentives for jute sliver exports are leading to unnecessary public expenditure and could undermine the long-term sustainability of Bangladesh’s jute sector.

Kabir said the association plans to meet the jute minister later this week to discuss the issue in detail.

The BJA called on the government to take prompt action to halt jute sliver exports in order to protect the country’s jute industry, safeguard farmers’ interests, and restore balance in the raw jute market.