Inadequate utility services hamper activities at Rajshahi small industry park

In spite of paying service charges regularly, factories at the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) industrial estate in Rajshahi are not getting necessary services, alleged many investors.

Therefore, activities at the industrial park are being hampered for poor supply of gas, electricity and water, they said.

On top of it, the authority hikes service charges every year.

In 1962, the service charge was Tk500 per acre and now the rate is Tk3 per square feet, meaning it charges Tk1,32,000 per acre.

Besides, small and big potholes developed on the narrow roads inside the industrial estate have made the vehicular movement more difficult.

Dumping of industrial wastes has added to their misery.

The street lights do not have an electricity connection. Hence, the area remains in the dark at night, causing a security concern for them, they said.

All those contributed to slowness in the development of the industrial park.

The industrial city was developed on 96.63 acres of land at Sapura area in 1961. The estate has 325 allotted plots and 204 factories.  Of these, some 182 factories are currently in operation. The total investment in the estate was Tk15,755crore, according to the BSCIC sources.

Zahidul Hossain, human resources officer of Team Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said, "Despite paying service charges and land rent, we do not get necessary services from the BSCIC authority. There is a shortage of dustbin. The drains are not cleaned by the BSCIC labourers either. We need to clean those by our workers."

Zahurul Islam, factory manager of Usha Silk Factory said, "Regular activities in the factories are interrupted due to frequent load shedding for two to three hours."

"This is an industrial area but there is no power substation. Using generators to operate the factories are not possible."

Hafiz Uddin, the proprietor of MAH Food Complex, said, "Getting gas supply from the government is a complicated process. I have applied for it but I did not get yet. I have to run my factory using the LPG."

Selim Al Rahi, vice-president of Rajshahi BSCIC Industries Owners' Association, said, "We need to depend on the higher authorities for every issue. Besides, the service charge is also increasing every year."

Wisak Kuruni, an industrial officer of BSCIC, claimed, "Some 15 to 20 factories at the industrial park have gas connections. We provide a gas connection to a factory when its owner applies for it. We do not have our own power station. So, we provide electricity connection from the Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited."