7 new industrial parks, centred on Padma Bridge, planned in southern districts
As part of the plan, between 2023 and 2026 the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation will invest Tk8,000 crore from government funds to build these establishments on 2,000 acres of land in Faridpur, Jashore, Madaripur, Narail, Magura, Shariatpur and Pirojpur
The Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (Bscic) plans to set up seven large industrial estates in the country's southern region over the next three years, banking on the improved communication system made possible by the Padma Bridge.
As part of the plan, between 2023 and 2026 the corporation will invest Tk8,000 crore from government funds to build these establishments on 2,000 acres of land in Faridpur, Jashore, Madaripur, Narail, Magura, Shariatpur and Pirojpur, with a target of creating 14-15 lakh fresh jobs.
According to the Bscic, if these projects are implemented, light engineering, food and food processing, textile, forestry, jute and jute products, glass and ceramics, paper, printing and board, tannery, leather, rubber, chemical and pharmaceutical industry, and automobile industries will boom in the southern region.
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Currently, there are 21 industrial estates in 18 districts of the south-western region of the Padma Bridge, operating under the Bscic. But these estates are small in size and were built on a minimum of 10 acres of land to a maximum of 50 acres of land.
Md Mahbubor Rahman, chairman of Bscic, told The Business Standard, "Basically, the initiative to set up these industrial parks has been taken to utilise the improved communication system achieved through the opening of the Padma Bridge. These projects will be implemented step by step with an investment of about Tk8,000 crore."
"Due to the lack of easy communication, not much industry has developed in the country's southwestern region. Now transportation has become smoother thanks to the Padma Bridge, which opened new windows for industries to grow in that region. Entrepreneurs will also come forward with new investments," he said.
Usually, the Bscic builds industrial estates facilitating entrepreneurs in establishing factories and industries. After acquiring land, the corporation develops infrastructure facilities, including electricity, gas and roads, and allocates plots to entrepreneurs for setting up the factories.
At present, the corporation operates 80 industrial estates around the country on 2,194 acres of land, which has created employment opportunities for over 8 lakh people, according to the Bscic's annual report for 2021-22.
However, many industrialists recently raised allegations that the Bscic is failing to provide adequate utility facilities such as power and gas supply to factories.
When asked about such a big plan in the midst of an economic slowdown, the Bscic chairman said, "Money to build these estates will not be needed all at once and will be taken from the government step by step every year. Besides, the country's economy will benefit from new employment."
Regarding the scarcity of electricity and gas, Mahbubor Rahman said, "Gas and electricity crises are temporary and will abate after some time. Industrialisation requires gas and electricity. The government is working on it and we also have plans to mitigate these issues while setting up new industries," he said.
Bscic gets approval for land acquisition of 6 estates
Bscic officials said the administrations of six districts have given permission for the acquisition of land to implement the proposed projects under a special programme on sustainable industrialisation centred on the Padma Bridge. The bridge was inaugurated in June last year. Work on drawing, design and estimation is now in progress.
The Bscic has sought 300 acres of land from the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) to set up an industrial park at Zajira in Shariatpur. Subject to the availability of land, the corporation will develop the park, which will create 1.5 lakh jobs.
Jashore is one of the hubs for automobile and engineering products. As such, the Bscic will build a foundry, automobile and engineering industrial park there. It has received the consent letter from the deputy commissioner for obtaining 410 acres of land. Around two lakh people will get employment.
The Bscic will set up a 350-acre multi-sectoral industrial park at Shibchar in Madaripur. The corporation believes that 1.5 lakh people will be employed in this establishment.
Similarly, the corporation has plans to set up industrial parks on 500 acres of land in Nagarkanda, Faridpur, 350 acres of land in Narail, 193.6 acres of land in Magura, and 309.73 acres of land in Pirojpur.
However, the characteristics of these industrial parks have not yet been determined and are subject to the needs of the entrepreneurs.
The Bscic since its inception in 1957 has been playing the role of a key institution in the development and expansion of small and medium industries.
According to Bscic data, 80 industrial parks in the country house 5,949 industrial units. The total investment in the industrial units is about Tk43,259 crore, while the value of the products produced in these units is Tk76,410 crore.
There are 962 export-oriented industries in the industrial parks, which exported products worth Tk 46,293 crore in financial year 2021-22.
