BSS, Rajshahi :
Expansion of the industrial estate of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in Rajshahi would create employment opportunities for around 5,000 people.
A fresh project to this end has been conceived to acquire 50 acres of land to develop 308 industrial plots in the area to ensure the evolvement of small and medium enterprises (SME) in the region.
Altaf Hossain, Regional Director of BSCIC, here said the government has taken the responsibility of providing industrial plots to the actual entrepreneurs as per the necessity.
He said the present government has a separate view-point towards Rajshahi’s development and intends to accelerate its socio-economic improvement through the best use of the existing industrial potentialities. It is very much committed to ensure proper utilization of allocated plots for industrial purpose aiming to promote industrialization in the country.
He said the government has given special emphasis on building planned industrial estates throughout the country to attain the goal of sustainable and eco-friendly industrialization.
“The industrial plots are being developed considering the country’s socio-economic condition and future necessity, as the entrepreneurs are expanding the SME gradually in the region,” he added.
He informed 10 per cent of the industrial plots in the estate would be kept reserved for the women entrepreneurs. The project titled “Extension of Rajshahi BSCIC Industrial Estate” would require a total cost of Taka 132 crore. BSCIC would implement the project by June 2017.
In the project, there will be three types of industrial plots. The number of A-type industrial unit is 83 having 6,000 square feet each while 89 units will be B-type with 4,500 square feet each and the remaining plots will be S-type with the size of 3,500- 8,000 square feet.
Altaf Hossain said the existing industrial estate of BSCIC Rajshahi has no plots, but demands are coming repeatedly from the entrepreneurs.
Against the backdrop of strong demand, the government has taken the project at Parila Union in Paba Upazila of Rajshahi district in 50 acres of land, he added. Meanwhile, the existing BSCIC industrial estate in the metropolis has started making profit with investment by some of the country’s big companies besides the sick and laid off industries are being replaced with new viable enterprises.
“The sick industry owners will either restart their businesses or transfer possession of their units,” said Altaf Hossain adding that creation of new estates became necessary to meet the local demand.
