Bangladesh Jute Association (BJAI Chairman Alhaj Sharif M Fazlur Rahman has appreciated the government's decision to lower bank interest rate to 10 per cent from 16 per cent for raw jute export.

The decision of lowering bank interest for jute exporters was taken at the latest meeting of the national committee on export last week. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.

Expressing gratitude to the government, the BJA chairman said that it was a long time demand of the raw jute exporters as they had been paying high interest on bank loans.

The rate cut would help increase foreign exchange earnings from the jute sector, he hoped.

The BJA chairman also demanded 10 per cent marketing facilities for the raw jute exporters. which is being provided to other jute products exporters.