The Sonali Bag, also known as the Golden Bag, Jute Polymer, or Eco-friendly Poly Bag (in Bengali: সোনালী ব্যাগ), is a bag made of a biodegradable bioplastic. It was created in Bangladesh as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic bags by scientist Mubarak Ahmad Khan. The primary ingredient in the Sonali Bag is cellulose, derived from jute, a globally cultivated vegetable fiber crop.[1][2][3]
History
editIn 2002, Bangladesh imposed a ban on polythene bags due to rising environmental concerns.[1][2] This legislative move spurred research into natural fiber composite (NFC) materials as potential replacements for polythene. Mubarak Ahmad Khan, a scientist at the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, worked with researchers from Bangladesh over several decades to create a new type of natural fiber composite (NFC) material made from jute. In 2018, the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) started the commercial production of Sonali Bag using a jute-based NFC developed by Mubarak Ahmad Khan.[4][5][6][7][2] The product was named "Sonali Bag" (sonali is Bengali for "golden") by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This name reflects a nickname used for jute in Bangladesh, 'the golden fiber'.[8][9]
References
edit- ^ a b "Polythene bag from jute". The Daily Inqilab.
- ^ a b c "Polythene substitutes may be jute polymers". The Daily Star. 8 April 2018.
- ^ "Sonali Bags: An Eco-Friendly Alternative". Daily Sun. Retrieved 2018-10-15.
- ^ "Jute Polymer Bag Made In Bangladesh". BBC News বাংলা. 22 April 2018 – via www.bbc.com.
- ^ ‘সোনালী ব্যাগের‘ স্বত্ব রাখতে টাক্সফোর্স গঠনের সুপারিশ [Recommendation of formation of taskforce to remain the owner of the golden bag]. bdnews24.com (in Bengali).
- ^ "Alternative of polythene sonali Bag is coming".
- ^ "Initiatives to preserve the intellectual property of jute 'sonali bag'". The Daily Ittefaq.
- ^ "Polythene bag from jute, contract with UK". Somoy News.
- ^ "The Golden Fiber - Jute Farmers in Bangladesh – DW – 12/06/2023". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-04-12.