A Half-yearly Peer Reviewed Journal of Bangladesh Forest Research Institute
There are more than 500 tropical hardwood species and a number of grass and bamboo species in Bangladesh. Only a handful of these are, at present, used for the manufacture of pulp, paper, fibreboard and rayon. Sundri and gewa of the Sunderbans and a number of hardwood species of the Chittagong area are used for the manufacture of paper and fibre boards. Rice straw and bagasse are also used for the same purpose. Besides, some bamboo species of the Chittagong Hill Tracts and three grass species of Sylhet district are, at present, used for the manufacture of pulp and rayon. Most of the other minor hardwood and grass species have practically no industrial use.
In this study, 20 minor hardwood species and 20 grass species of Bangladesh have been taken up with a view to determine their suitability for the manufacture of pulp. Runkel ratio, flexibility co-efficient and relative fibre length have been found out from the fibre length, fibre diameter, cell-wall thickness and lumen diameter of the fibres. From those data the tensile strength, tearing resistance and general suitability of the fibres for the manufacture of pulp and paper could be estimated. From the Runkel ratio obtained, it can be predicted that most of the species under study will be suitable for the manufacture of quality paper. Only Kannari and Jaikkagola among the wood species, daloo and lata bans from the bamboo species and nal, ikra and khagra among the grass species are likely to yield moderate quality pulp.