With nine Met police suspended amid inquiry into claims of excessive force at Charing Cross Police Station, one wonders if it worthwhile for local residents of City of Westminster to go to front desk there as we are instructed from the ones that are being closed. 

Chiltern Railways, proudly announced new trains will be running into Marylebone, will run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel, a renewable fuel that reduces carbon emissions and cuts pollutants such as nitrous oxide compared to conventional diesel – part of  the efforts to decarbonise Chiltern Railways but critically not electric. 

All (Class 68) locomotives in the new fleet will be fitted with automatic stop-start technology, reducing engine use while stationary, especially at terminus stations like Marylebone. For more info on the environmental pledges of Chiltern Railways, please check the link above. 

• All (Class 68) locomotives in the new fleet will be fitted with automatic stop-start technology, reducing engine use while stationary, especially at terminus stations like Marylebone.
• Introduce noise and vibration modifications to the (Class 68) locomotives engines to further reduce the impact on line side communities.
• and drivers will be be trained to minimise unnecessary idling and engine vibrations during layovers.

They have also committed to continue to engage with residents, local authorities, and stakeholders at stations like Marylebone, Aylesbury, and Birmingham to listen to concerns and provide regular updates on how these improvements will make a real difference. 

So this should mean at least some improvements in the noise and pollution issues for the residents of Blandford Square Estate along the side platform 5 & 6 in Marylebone Railway Station. 

If we are looking for Good Growth for our cities, we need to look at what has been happening in China and its cities over the past few decades. 

Even without the UN Plastic Agreements, global reliance on single-use plastic bags declines, the potential for revitalising of the global jute industry grows stronger—and the “golden fibre” from Bengal may indeed be poised for a meaningful comeback.

As progressive policies are making a real impact. For instance, Sweden saw plastic bag usage plummet from 74 to 17 per person between 2019 and 2023, largely due to a plastic bag tax—though that tax was recently abolished, raising concerns about reversal. 
Looking ahead, California has advanced a statewide ban on all single-use plastic shopping bags, starting in 2026. These kinds of shifting regulations reveal growing momentum in global markets toward eco-friendly packaging—creating a clear opening for natural alternatives like jute.

Bangladesh accounts for around 58% of global jute production so it is a global leader in the sector, so we need to ask ourselves is the revival visible and viable in their jute sector? From the outset, it does have some prominent advantages and innovations.  
For example with the Sonali bag. It is developed from jute cellulose, a biodegradable bag can decompose in three months and thus a sustainable alternative to polythene. 
Scientists have also developed a host of innovations from jute-based PPE to corrugated building materials (“Jutin”) thus creating new commercial uses. This with its carbon benefits as jute cultivation can absorb up to 15 tons of CO₂ per hectare annually, offering strong environmental credentials. 

There are several levels of support the sector gets which should be noted. Bangladesh government enforces mandatory jute packaging for commodities like rice and fertilisers, and various jute-friendly laws and incentives are in place—e.g., Jute Wrap Act, National Jute Policy domestically, giving institutional support to the sector via policies and Acts.  
Training Initiatives include program by Swisscontact and Akij Bashir Group focusing on skills development within jute mills to boost productivity and quality.

There is financial & structural support from the Bangladesh Bank is facilitating loan restructuring with grace periods to support jute producers, alongside marketing schemes targeting women entrepreneurs—thus substantial funding is being injected into this sector. 

Furthermore, we have private investments in so far as  16 previously closed state-owned mills have been leased to private investors and some are restarting production.  The FBCCI (Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries) is spearheading efforts to revitalise the sector through public–private collaboration via trade advocacy.

And finally there is export & branding push as Bangladesh government is pushing to diversify jute products—handicrafts, composites, fashion items—and initiate global marketing and e-commerce strategies as a result. 


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Despite all this promise and behind the challenges, there are hurdles to overcome:

The outdated technology means many mills rely on old machinery, with low productivity and inconsistent quality. As a result in terms of price competition, Jute is labor-intensive and costlier than synthetic alternatives, posing a competitive challenge.  The export complexity of logistics, bureaucratic delays, weak branding, and lack of global marketing reduce competitiveness. And the financial constraints mean many producers struggled with loans, particularly during closures, so bank support helps but needs scaling up

So is the revival realistic? Yes—it can be, if momentum continues to be harnessed effectively. The decline of plastic opens global market space for jute. Bangladesh has the natural resources, labor base, and innovation potential to capitalise on this. With the multiplier benefits of reviving jute lifting rural communities, creates jobs, empowers women-led businesses, and strengthens the nation’s economic fabric. 

So we need policy and innovation synergy with coordinated policy support, R&D, modernisation of mills, branding, export facilitation, and digitalisation are essential—and increasingly underway. As eco & ESG alignment across sustainable supply chains gaining traction, jute fits the global demand for environmental, social, and governance-aligned materials. 

.In short the jute industry has some strengths, challenges and opportunities.  While it is an innovator in biodegradable jute products, its large scale and outdated machinery, does make it cost competitive. This all along whilst the shift in global regulations favours sustainable packaging increasing. 

It has strong economic and environmental credentials like with carbon sequestration, yet export inefficiencies and low branding, it risks missing the rising demand for eco-products in EU, North America, and luxury markets. It has had financial difficulties with mill closures but government policies, financial support and private investment with digital marketing, e-commerce, startup ecosystem, skill development and institutional backing should do the trick with training initiatives helping with labor costs and quality control variability and export diversification, with new high-value applications (PPE, composites)

So the jute industry in Bangladesh stands at a crossroads—but all signs point to a feasible and promising revival. The global move away from plastics, combined with innovation like the Sonali bag and increasing institutional support, have set the stage. The key now is maintaining momentum across policy, technology, skills, branding, and export strategy.

Bangladesh could very well transform the “golden fibre” into a linchpin of sustainable, inclusive growth—and redefine its role in the global green economy. 

Which council in London would you expect to have done the most to divest from Gaza,Palestine and Israel?  Well in contention is Westminster City Council (WCC) with its £2 billion local government pension found where they have recently agreed to eliminate their exposure to military conflict in Israel, Gaza, and the Occupied Territories

Following the outbreak of military conflicts in the Middle East, and Gaza’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, residents and pension scheme members have asked for clarity regarding Westminster City Council Pension Fund’s exposure to the region, both from a financial risk and a responsible investment perspective. This has meant that over the past year, the Pension Fund Committee has worked with its investment advisers to actively monitor the Fund’s exposure to Israel, Gaza, and the Occupied Territories and explore ways to reduce this exposure. 

This has meant over the last year divesting funds from; 

• Israel Government bonds 
• Two companies based in Israel – Teva Pharmaceuticals Corporate Bonds and Mobileye Global Incorporated equities

As at 30 June 2025, the Westminster Fund has no investment in firms located in Israel, Gaza, and the Occupied Territories now and no exposure to Israeli weapons manufacturers  like Elbit Systems.

From 31 March 2026, the tactical management of the Fund, along with investment and divestment decisions will reside with the London CIV (a collective investment vehicle established by the 32 London boroughs) – not the Pension Fund Committee. This is because the Government’s Fit for the Future Pensions Review requires the Westminster City Council Pension Fund is required to transfer all of its assets to the London CIV.

So well done to Labour controlled Westminster Council and l look forward to their leadership on  the collective investment vehicle that requires all London Councils legally to be establish together from the 31st of March 2026.  As its clear WCC Pension Fund Committee will advocate for the London CIV to enter into investments which align with the Fund’s Responsible Investment Statement above. 

The impact of Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on global trade, producers, and consumers in the garment industry is a critical issue that affects various stakeholders worldwide. These tariffs, implemented as part of a strategy to address trade imbalances, have sparked discussions and concerns within the industry.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) play pivotal roles in overseeing trade regulations and labor standards, respectively. The imposition of tariffs can lead to disruptions in supply chains, affecting producers’ sourcing decisions and operational costs.

For consumers, these tariffs may result in price fluctuations and availability issues for garments, impacting their purchasing power and choices. Developing countries, especially Least Developed Countries (LDCs), often heavily rely on garment exports, making them particularly vulnerable to changes in trade policies.

It is essential for stakeholders to closely monitor and adapt to these tariff dynamics to navigate the evolving landscape of global trade. Understanding the implications on different sectors and regions is key to mitigating risks and maximising opportunities in the garment industry.

For more insights on the impact of Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on global trade and the garment industry, you can visit the provided link for further analysis Remember the garment sector in the world economy employs over 70 million people where over 75 per cent are women; is some 1-2 per cent of global GDP and in total is has about $1.5 trillion transactions.  

T-shirt Market 

With Trump’s reciprocal tariff negotiations all but finished with most countries around the world except China, what is going to be the impact on global trade, consumers and producers?  

Well it would be useful to start with the garment industry and the basic t-shirt market. Above we have the prices for a consignment of 100 T-shirts to be sent to the US from leading providers around the world including the US, at April 2025 prices.  

Here both Bangladesh and Vietnam have been hit with a 20 per cent tariff and Pakistan with 19 per cent.  In any of these cases, it still makes the getting 100 T-shirts from Bangladesh,Vietnam and Pakistan cheaper than making them in the US. So it does not seem to transferring jobs to US manufacturing at all.  It appears the producers in those countries could easily transfer the costs to consumers without been out performed by the US manufacturers. 

If any thing the US consumer will be faced with between 19-20 per cent increase in the price of their t-shirts. This when JP Morgan suggest that tariffs could subtract 1% from GDP and add 1.5% to inflation in the US. Are they ready for this on what would be considered a basic item of clothing in the US? Will it prove the zero-sum game Trump thinks of global trade?! 

So watch this space, other the next few months. 

It is good to see that the Interim government of Bangladesh has acknowledged under the adviser for the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Rizwana Hasan, that air pollution is a major and persistent issue in South Asian megacities like Dhaka including Delhi,  Karachi, Lahore, and Kathmandu as well. 

A brief summary of the sources of the pollution will tell you the following; rapid urbanisation and outdated vehicle fleets contribute heavily to air pollution via vehicular emissions. InIndustrial Activities like Brick kilns, textile factories, and other unregulated industries release pollutants like PM2.5, PM10, NOx, and SO2.Along with construction dust of unregulated construction and demolition activities increase particulate matter in the air. The use of biomass and coal for cooking and heating in low-income areas adds to indoor and outdoor air pollution from household emissions. Then we have of course, the seasonal burning of crops  agricultural residues (notably in India and Pakistan) spiking pollution levels, especially during winter from across the Indian sub-continent. Finally and not least the open waste burning municipal waste, including plastics, is common due to inadequate waste management systems.

The health impacts are considerable with a high prevalence of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and premature deaths with children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. Cities like Delhi and Lahore frequently report AQI levels in the “hazardous” category. It also greatly reduces visibility and damages the ecosystem, as part of the environment cost of air pollution and then we have of course economic losses from healthcare costs and decreased worker productivity. Not surprising it all has a huge impact on livebility of urban centres and the appeal to visiting tourists. 

There are of course, huge policy and governance challenges starting with weak enforcement of environmental regulations; lack of regional coordination among countries; insufficient infrastructure for public transport and waste management and finally inadequate real-time air quality monitoring and public awareness.

Last but not least we have regional and seasonal patterns to contend with like during the winter months we see severe smog due to temperature inversion and crop burning. All compounded with transboundary pollution affects multiple countries simultaneously across the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Some mitigation efforts are ongoing but inadequate like the introduction of CNG vehicles and promotion of electric mobility; policies to phase out brick kilns or upgrade to cleaner technologies; tree plantation drives and awareness campaigns and of course efforts to improve public transportation systems.

So air pollution in South Asian megacities is a complex, multi-sectoral issue with severe health and environmental consequences. While some efforts are underway, stronger political will, regional cooperation, and investment in sustainable urban infrastructure are essential to make meaningful progress. Much of course can be learnt from the Chinese huge efforts in their cities, but will they have encountered many of the issues involved in South Asia mega cities. This may be quite a rude awaken for them for sure!  

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