The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rajshahi

Most industrial units in the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), Rajshahi, became profitable over the last couple of years.

Officials told BSS that more than 100 units of BSCIC were declared sick and laid off about 18 to 20 years back but the number at present came down to 11 because of an upswing trend in production and marketing goods. Local entrepreneurs have been showing much interest in restarting the sick industries and operating their business successfully after transferring the ownership. Some of them are also trying to get new plots to set up various industrial units.

Some 179 industrial units on 300 plots are making profit through their successful operation and 12 other units are waiting to go for production in near future, they said.

The 325-plot BSCIC industrial estate, established in 1961 on 95.71 acres of land on the city's outskirts, has been providing electricity, water supply, security, road and drainage facilities to the entrepreneurs for running their business.

It has so far realized around Taka 2.23 crore as different charges against the total dues till June last. Besides, Taka 32.03 crore was realised as revenue from the estate during the period.

Nitol Groups and Partex Groups, two pioneer entrepreneurs in the country, have purchased five plots and will set up their respective industrial units in a sort period.

Officials said several silk-clothes manufacturing units including foreign-owned ones earned reputation for their quality products. They expect that there will no more sick industry in the estate, the officials said.

"The sick industry owners will either restart their business or transfer their possessions," said Murshed Monjur Hassan, Estate Officer of the BSCIC, adding that creation of new estates became necessary to meet the local demand.

Terming the BSCIC industrial area viable for any small and medium industry, Monzur Faruque Chowdhury, owner of Dinar Foods Products, said that the entrepreneurs are making profit and have demanded gas supply to the BSCIC to reduce the production cost.

He stressed the need for taking necessary steps to formulate a separate business friendly policy for northwestern Bangladesh, check smuggling of Indian goods and provide bank loans on low interest for making these industries more profitable in a short period.

Alhaj Sadar Ali, owner of Sapura Silk Mills Limited in the estate, said the real entrepreneurs of the area are willing to set up more industries and urged the government to provide industrial plots to those, who would contribute to the national economy by their production.