Sonali Bag

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]

A picture of Sonali Bag

History

In 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 former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This name reflects a nickname used for jute in Bangladesh, 'the golden fiber'.[8][9]

References