Mönchengladbach, September 11 (OurVoice): The BASUG Symposium on ‘Jute instead of Plastic was held on ’11 September 2021 in Mönchengladbach, Germany The workshop was inaugurated by Bangladesh ambassador in Germany Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan ndc as chief guest, while BASUG Chairman Bikash Chowdhury Barua was in the chair.
Dr. Mona Pursey, Regional Facilitator from Eine Welt Forum, Aachen and honorary Consul General Hasnat Mia addressed the opening session. Commercial Counsellor of Bangladesh Embassy in Berlin M Saiful Islam, Development Educator from Vamos e.V. Marleen Stanetzky and Co-Founder of AltEco Dr. M A K Azad presented papers in the technical session. BASUG Project Director and Intercultural Facilitator of One World Network NRW AHM Abdul Hai presented the mapping report on jute and plastic and conducted the technical sessions.
BASUG Diaspora and Development e.V. organized the symposium in cooperation with the Meeting Point of Freedom, Peace and Justice and the Youth Club House Westend, Mönchengladbachy. Engagement Global along with the financial grant from the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) supported the symposium.
Ambassador Md. Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan emphasized the need for close partnership between the two countries based on their common values. It is therefore important that the transfer of innovation and knowledge be further expanded, he added.
“Using jute won’t be a magical solution, but it will be a very good approach to achieving a plastic-free morning,” said Bikash Chowdhury Barua, Chairman of BASUG Diaspora and Development. The devastating effects of plastic production and use are falling back on the future of human beings, which is why a global approach is essential for coping with this massive task, he opined.
This is also what the partnership between Bangladesh and Germany stands for. Engineer Hasnat Mia, Honorary Consul General in NRW explained that jute has to stand out as an industrial product in order to remove plastic from areas such as the automotive or packaging industry. As the largest producer and exporter of jute, Bangladesh plays a crucial role.
In further speeches by scientists and experts with the involvement of the audience, further possibilities arose on how jute can be used and how jute can offer much more potentials besides the well-known bag. It was clearly described how important it is to break old behavior patterns and thus achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In the sideline of the event, BASUG, Seraji Foundation, Vamos e.V. and Tante Lemi exhibited their publications, information materials and jute products in the foyer. A number of abstract arts from poet and Artist Mir Zabeda Yeasmin Imi were also of attraction in the exhibition. At the end of the symposium singer Abdul Munim rendered enchanting musical performance.
