The government is not taking any decision based on relationship but rather on merit and the proposals of the investors as well, Textiles and Jute Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin said on Sunday.
He made these remarks while addressing a function marking the signing of an agreement between the Bangladesh Textiles Mills Corporation (BTMC) and Western Engineering Private Limited as the chief guest at a city hotel to operate the Kurigram Textile Mills under a lease agreement.
“Please use resources of the institutions, benefit yourselves and the country and thus contribute to the economy and employment generation,” the adviser, who is also in charge of the Ministry of Commerce, told the investors.
The adviser said the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) and BTMC have about 45-50 establishments, which the government wants to give to entrepreneurs through PPP/lease, according to the ministry press release.
“Three mills have already been handed over to the entrepreneurs in the last six months while more are in the process,” he added.
Extending thanks to Western Engineering (Pvt) Ltd for the proposed investment, he said: “BTMC and BJMC mills have completed infrastructures and after some renovations, those can restart production soon and thus there will be an opportunity to make a profit,”
He also said: “Those works will be done with honesty, and integrity and in a speedy manner through open tender. The Ministry of Textiles and Jute is looking for investors and the businessmen to seize the opportunity,”
Highlighting various facilities for making investments, Secretary of Textiles and Jute Md Abdur Rauf said: “People will benefit if suitable employment opportunities are ensured in Kurigram.”
He said that the ministry is working to re-open the closed-down mills.
Western Engineering (Pvt) Ltd Managing Director Bashir Ahmed said that they want to increase employment generation in Kurigram and thus want to build pro-people and environment-friendly industries so that the people of Kurigram become benefitted.
Later, an agreement was signed by BTMC Chairman Brigadier General SM Zahid Hassan and Western Engineering (Pvt) Ltd Managing Director Bashir Ahmed.
Chairman of BTMC Brigadier General SM Zahid Hassan delivered the welcome address.
Additional Secretaries of Textiles and Jute Ministry Subrata Sikder, Arifur Rahman Khan, ANM Moinul Islam, Director General of Department of Textiles Md Shahidul Islam, former chairman of BTMC Brig Gen (Retd) Md Ziaul Haque, BJMA Secretary Abdul Barik along with senior officials of the ministry and business leaders were present on the occasion, among others.
