Photo : Collected

DHAKA, July 2, 2025 (BSS) - The first hybrid webinar under the "Sustainable Market Access Bootcamp - Jute Sector" programme was held yesterday.

Under the initiative of the Ministry of Commerce, the hybrid webinar was held with support from the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, the WTO Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) in Geneva, and the International Trade Centre (ITC), also based in Geneva.

This pioneering bootcamp is being implemented by the WTO Cell of the Ministry of Commerce as the National Implementation Unit (NIU), with joint technical support from the EIF and ITC.

The primary goal of the program is to enhance the export readiness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the jute sector. It also aims to improve skills of the participants in areas such as product diversification, protecting sustainable standards, branding of jute products, and digital marketing. 

The three-month long bootcamp, scheduled from July to September 2025, will feature a series of webinars, one-to-one mentoring sessions, and a three-day in-person, practical workshop, said a Commerce Ministry press release today.

As part of this initiative, the first webinar titled "State of the Industry" was held yesterday in a hybrid format both physical and via Zoom platform at the Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC) auditorium.

Around 100 participants attended the event in person, while another 145 joined online, including jute-sector entrepreneurs, exporters, and representatives from the international development partners.

Dr. Nazneen Kawser Chowdhury, Head of the WTO Cell at the Ministry of Commerce and EIF Focal Point for Bangladesh, attended the inauguration as the chief guest. 

Representatives from the Ministry of Textiles and Jute and EIF spoke on the occasion.