The Agar Wood Industry: Yet to Utilize in Bangladesh

Abstract

Agar wood is one of the most expensive non-timber wood products of the world. It has a series of names around the Asia and Pacific region. Bangladesh is producing three major products namely Agar-wood, Agar-oil and Agar dust/powder in Agar wood sector. It has multidimensional uses in perfume, cosmetics and medicine sector. Agar wood has traditional, religious moreover cultural uses in different parts of the world. Major Agar wood producing countries are India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, Singapore and Bangladesh. Major market/consumers of Agar wood are the Middle East (UAE, KSA and other Arabian countries) and North East Asian countries (Taiwan, Japan and Korean Republic). It has a long history in Moulvi Bazar and nearby districts of Bangladesh too. A very few constraints are creating hurdles toward flourishing this sector in Bangladesh. In this study we would be very much concentrated to identify development barriers of Agar wood sector in Bangladesh and generate few recommendations in this regard. Proper regulatory support from the government could play a very vital role to make it one of the major foreign currency earning sectors for Bangladesh.