Govt initiates 9 new factories for employment generation

The government has taken initiatives to set up nine new factories with the aim of creating employment, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, minister for Commerce, Industries, Textiles, and Jute ministry said today (2 April). 

Speaking in parliament, the minister stated that the ministry has planned to establish new industrial enterprises to eliminate unemployment. 

The factories are listed below.

• Urea Formaldehyde-85 (UF-85) Plant: A detailed techno-economic feasibility study is currently underway to establish a UF-85 factory on the vacant land of Ghorashal Polash Fertilizer Public Limited Company (GPFPLC), under the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC).
• New TSP Fertilizer Factory: Efforts are ongoing to appoint an international consulting firm to conduct a detailed techno-economic feasibility study for a new fertilizer factory with an annual production capacity of 400,000 tonnes at TSP Complex Ltd. (TSPCL).
• Starch and API Complex: Initiatives have been taken to implement a project titled "Starch Factory and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Complex" on the premises of Khulna Newsprint Mills Ltd. (KNML) and Khulna Hardboard Mills Ltd. (KHBML). The techno-economic feasibility study and the Development Project Proposal (DPP) for this project have been completed.
• Karnaphuli Paper Mills Ltd. (KPML) Expansion: Initiatives have been taken to set up a full-fledged paper mill including afforestation, a Soda Ash and Baking Soda plant, a Sodium Sulfate plant, an Activated Bleaching Earth plant, a Titanium Dioxide plant, a Sulfuric Acid plant, and a Synthetic or Polyester Fiber plant on the KPML premises. The techno-economic feasibility study is complete, and the drafting of the DPP is in progress.
• Basic Chemical Factory: An initiative has been taken to establish a Chloro-Alkali and chlorine-related basic chemicals factory on the premises of Chittagong Chemical Complex (CCC).
• Insulator and Sanitaryware Plant: Plans are in place to set up an eco-friendly, energy-efficient modern insulator and sanitaryware plant at the Bangladesh Insulator and Sanitaryware Factory Ltd. (BISFL).
• WPP Bag Manufacturing: A pre-feasibility study has been completed to establish a WPP bag manufacturing factory as a backward linkage industry at the GPFPLC premises, utilizing existing management, land, and utilities.
• New Urea Factory in Bhola: There is an initiative to set up a new urea fertilizer factory in Bhola district. Site selection activities are ongoing following the completion of a pre-feasibility study.
• Modern Glass Factory: A pre-feasibility study has been completed for a modern glass factory using advanced technology on 197 acres of unused land adjacent to the Ashuganj Fertilizer Factory.

The minister further mentioned that while the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) does not directly establish industrial enterprises, it creates industrial estates or parks where entrepreneurs set up their own factories. 

Currently, there are 83 BSCIC industrial estates or parks across the country, housing 6,223 industrial units.

To eradicate unemployment, the BSCIC will take initiatives to establish more industrial estates/parks based on specific proposals, raw material availability, entrepreneur demand, and the availability of uncultivated, unused, or abandoned land through the district administration, subject to feasibility studies. 

Entrepreneurs will be able to establish various industrial units in those locations.