A 15-day workshop began in the port city of Chittagong on Sunday with a call for familiarising bamboo and cane products as well as using bamboo as substitute for wood.

Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI) organised the workshop at its auditorium under Market Development of Bamboo and Raton Products Potential (2nd Phase)

Project being implemented with the financial assistant of Common Fund for Commodities of the Netherlands.

BFRI Director Dr Md Wahid Baksh presided over the inaugural session of the workshop. Dr Baksh said the workshop aimed at providing training on producing and preserving bamboo in BFRI invented method and popularising bamboo products that can be a great source of income for the rural people.

BFRI Chief Research Officer Dr Md

Mokhlesur Rahman, Prof Leo Ziang of Wood Science and Technology Department of Nanjhing Forest University, China and technical expert Zheo Jhiang Lee spoke as the guests at workshop where 25 trainees from six districts under Chittagong division participated.

Developing skill in bamboo and cane products of quality and modern design can open up scope for exporting such items to different countries in Europe and America, the speakers said.