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]
In 2002, Bangladesh imposed a ban on polythene bags due to rising environmental concerns.[1] 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]