Govt to frame rules for industrialisation in unused land

The government is going to formulate rules for industrialisation in unused land and infrastructures belonging to different government industrial-commercial organisations. An inter-ministerial meeting was held at Bangladesh Investment Development Authority’s (BIDA) headquarters to finalise the draft rules on Tuesday. Addressing the meeting as the Chair, BIDA Chairman Kazi M Aminul Islam said: “There was no law to use unused land and infrastructures of different governmental organisations. If the rules are framed, the unused land and infrastructures would be used for industrialisation properly that will ultimately increase investment.” The rules are being formulated in line with the recommendations from all stakeholders, added the BIDA chief. The meeting was attended by representatives from Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), Bridges Division, and ministries of industries, textiles and jute, railway, road transport and liberation war affairs. According to BIDA sources, on March 13, the investment development authority circulated letters to all ministries, divisions and organisations concerned asking their proposals regarding formulation of the rules. The meeting on Monday discussed the proposals of all stakeholders. “The government has already taken initiatives including a survey of unused land acquired to establish industry. As the land was not utilised or the factories were shut, the land would be reallocated to establish new industry,” said the meeting. BIDA has already identified more than 100 unused land and infrastructures of running and closed factories for the government across the country under the draft rules. Sources said the authority surveyed a total of 15 organisations’ land measuring 364.22 acres, including extra land of 110.93 acres. There are 15 industries and other structures on the land, 13 of which are closed while two in operation. Of the total 15 organisations and industries, five are under the Textiles Ministry, six under the Ministry of Industries, three under The Ministry of Environment and one under the Ministry of Commerce. But the Ministry of Environment has withdrawn its three organisations from privatisation list with a total land area of 52.3 acres. Earlier, a committee headed by former chairman of the Board of Investment (BOI) had surveyed 39 units under the Ministry of Industries and the Ministry of Textiles in 2013 where they found 148,999.84 acres of land, including a 1516.74-acre extra land. The committee recommended surveying “more intensively” the government industries and property and privatised property for their better utilisation. Of the total 39 organisations, 14 were under Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation (BTMC), one under Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation (BJMC), 10 under Bangladesh Food and Sugar Industries Corporation, four under Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation and nine under Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC). Of the 39, 18 industries are fully in operation, three operating partially and 18 fully closed.