Sick industry owners seek PM’s help 

The owners of the sick industries recently sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's help to save their business.

In 2009, the Awami League government formed a high-powered task force to rehabilitate the sick industry and settle their liabilities and categorised them into three parts namely Garments, Textiles and Non-Textiles.

Subsequently, as per the decision of the task force, the government had issued circulars settling the liabilities of 279 garment factories and 100 textile factories, said the industry owners at a meeting Sunday at FBCCI, reads a press release. 

However, non-textile factories are yet to receive this facility. Even though all these industries are sick, the banks have filed cases in the Money Loan Court showing that they are defaulters. 

At the first meeting of the FBCCI Standing Committee on Rehabilitation of the sick industry, its chairman Sadeque U Chowdhury said, the Munsef Committee was formed in 1998 to rehabilitate the sick industry. The then Awami League government had set up a fund of Tk100 crore for the rehabilitation of sick industries.

FBCCI Senior Vice President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu was present as the chief guest at the meeting. 

He said a separate desk would be set up at the FBCCI to assist and rehabilitate the sick industry. 

At the same time, a letter will be sent to each chamber and association to make a list of sick factories. 

After receiving the list, the FBCCI will take steps to rehabilitate the newly ailing industry through discussions with the concerned ministries and departments of the government including the Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Bank. He also assured the FBCCI of its utmost support to save the ailing industry.