THE government has asked tannery owners to shift their factories from Hazaribagh to Industrial Park in Savar within 72 hours and failing which it would close their factories forthwith, reports a national daily on Sunday. The Industry Minister has issued the instruction at a meeting with officials of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) at his office in the city. But as it appears it has come as a big surprise to the owners who believe relocation of industries can’t work on clock bound timeline. Many also wonder whether any ultimatum is a sensible move to secure removal of so many factories when each and every factory owners has his problems and need short term to mid-term plan to shift their production facility from one place to another. It is not like house tenant who may be evicted on such short notice.
The Minister has however instructed BSCIC; which has set up the new tannery park at Savar to send legal notice to the owner of tanneries asking them to move to their new industrial zone within the stipulated time. Failure will not only bring shut down of their plants but also the cancellation of their industrial plot at Savar.
It is true that the tannery owners are using various dilatory tactics to delay the shift partly for financial reason and also to exploit the move to secure easy loans or grants to their benefits. But much of these things are not within the government power at a time when it is also under pressure from donors’ community to achieve the shift as soon as possible to protect Dhaka’s environment. Many buyers of Bangladesh leather goods particularly in Europe are also using threats to suspend favourable market access of leather goods if leather factories are not shifted forthwith.
The government has set up the new tannery park over 200 acres of land in the outskirt of the city at Savar to free Hazaribagh from tannery processing activities as it is polluting the city air and holding the area hostage to its dirty discharge of waste and stinky smell. The Savar Project is being developed over the past decade with developing land and other infrastructure including gas, electricity and water supply and affluent treatment plant. BSCIC has created 155 industrial plots for factory owners producing leather goods for domestic users and export markets.
But tannery owners have been quoted in the report as saying that they need at least Tk 6,000 crore to relocate the factories that include setting up new factory buildings and relocation of machinery to begin commercial production at the new sight. They have urged the government to give them long-term loan at lower interest to make such relocation possible.
It is a must that tannery factories have to be removed. This question was much in negotiation for many years. Yet, the government has to understand the difficulties of the tannery owners and see if a reasonable adjustment in the time schedule is possible. In the present condition the tannery industries, though very important for the economy, is a health hazard for many in the city.
