Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Saturday said the government has planned to set up an industrial park on around 400 acres of land in Bogra to meet the growing demand of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
"The government will take initiatives to start the development work of the proposed industrial park during the current winter season," he said while speaking as the chief guest at a programme organised on the occasion of the assumption of office by the newly elected board of directors of the Bogra Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Muktadir said Bogra has the potential to emerge as one of the major industrial and economic hubs of the country, particularly as an important centre for the light engineering industry. "The government is working to create the necessary infrastructure and a supportive environment to realise this potential," he said.
The minister said the existing BSCIC industrial estate in Bogra has already reached full capacity, while there is growing demand among SME entrepreneurs for establishing new industries. "Considering the demand, a plan has been taken to establish a new BSCIC industrial park on around 400 acres of land. We will try to expedite the process and initiate the preliminary activities during this winter," he said.
He stressed the need for increasing productivity and reducing the cost of financing to enhance the competitiveness of industries. "It is difficult to successfully operate industries and businesses by taking loans at high interest rates. To reduce production costs and make products competitive, we have to increase productivity and efficiency on the one hand and reduce the cost of financing on the other," he continued.
The minister said the government is working to ensure easy availability of energy and electricity for industrial entrepreneurs, simplify gas connections and create opportunities for financing at lower costs.
He said the proposed industrial park would not only provide infrastructure facilities to entrepreneurs but also arrange technical training, skilled manpower development and necessary information and technical support for setting up industries.
"Through these initiatives, we will work to make the newly established industries sustainable in the long run," he said, adding that entrepreneurs establishing industrial projects in the proposed park would have opportunities to obtain loans at comparatively lower interest rates under the government's credit wholesaling scheme.
