Leaders of Bangladesh Sick Industry Owner United Forum (BSIOUF) have urged the government to waive the longstanding interests piled up on their bad loans over the years.
They came up with the plea during a meeting with the state minister for finance and planning MA Mannan held yesterday at his secretariat office in the capital.
The leaders demanded for waiving the interest on commercial loans above Tk50 crore taken by the 109 non-textile industries, which have already become sick since long.
It is learned that loans worth Tk23.33 crore were disbursed against 109 non-textile firms but the outstanding dues now stands at Tk.283.21 crore over the years.
The commercial banks did not pay any heed so far for executing the directives of the Bank and Financial Institutional Divisionunder the finance ministry to waive the pending taxes from the listed 109 non-textile sick industries, said BSIOUF President FH Chowdhury after the meeting.
The government had earlier waived interest rate on the bad loans taken by 279 garment and 69 textile industries after a recommendation made by a taskforce. Regarding the demand of sick industry owners, state minister said: The government will resolve the problem of the sick industries shortly, which is still hanging in the balance.
“A summary report will be prepared on the demand of the sick industries as soon as the finance minister comes back home from abroad.”
“Although the high-up of the government including the Prime Minister herself want to resolve the longstanding crisis of the sick industries, it is still hanging in the balance due to bureaucratic tangles even after the available funds allocated by the finance ministry,” said BSIOUF President.
He also said banking division announced a package for the sick industries with 8% interest rate while the government decided to provide 3% subsidy.
FH Chowdhury said “We will bear the burden of the full interest rate of loan and the government will save the allocated fund worth Tk225 crore.”
