Sirajganj industrial park set for further delay

The project began its journey in December 1999 with an estimated budget of Tk 197 crore with a view to creating 1 lakh jobs, spurring economic activities and reducing poverty in the poverty-prone northern districts

Having already faced several cost revisions and deadline extensions, an industrial park of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in Sirajganj is on way to be delayed by yet another year.

The project began its journey in December 1999 with an estimated budget of Tk 197 crore with a view to creating 1 lakh jobs, spurring economic activities and reducing poverty in the poverty-prone northern districts. The completion date was set at June 2004.

But the plan was scrapped altogether in April 2004 before being revived in August 2010 with a revised budget of Tk 379 crore and a completion date of June 2014.

Another revision took the project cost to Tk 489.96 crore and deadline to 2015.

The project suffered two more corrections, taking the cost to Tk 628.10 crore and then to Tk 719.21 crore and end dates to June 2019 and then to June 2021 respectively.

Afterwards, there has been only one single time extension, up until June 2022.

But the project director, Md Abdul Khaleque, now wants another year. He said he would apply for it soon and that the government would likely grant it.

Talking to The Daily Star, he assured that the cost would remain the same.

"We have already finished 73 per cent of the physical work while 63 per cent of the project cost has been spent," he said.

The recent developments give hope that the 829 industrial plots being prepared on 400 acres of land by the Jamuna river for investors of small and medium industrial units will create 2 lakh new jobs.

On the delays, the project director blamed land acquisition taking up too much time alongside necessary approvals from different authorities.

"We got the handover of land in 2014 but we were unable to start the work due to the lack of necessary approvals from different authorities," said Khaleque.

"After getting environment clearance, water ministry's clearance and other official papers, land development work began in 2018. Price revisions were in tune with the situation as of that moment," he added.

A visit to the project site revealed land development and construction of a BSCIC building nearing completion.

Construction of roads, drainage, boundary walls, power sub-station, gas connection and greening was underway.

"We have 17 items to work on and of them five have been completed while the rest are underway," Heronmoy Bordhon, a BSCIC assistant engineer.

"Just 5 kilometres out of the planned 17 kilometres of roads have been constructed while 7 kilometres out of 34 kilometres of drainage," he said.

Apart from greenery, the industrial park will have 20 acres of ponds.

2 Lakh New Jobs

"…once investors come to invest…2 lakh jobs will be created," Md Sazidul Islam, assistant manager of the BSCIC's Sirajganj office.

Investors are keen oninvesting here for the confirmation on the availability of gas, electricity, environment department approvals and other necessary facilities, he said.

Abu Eusuf Surjo, president of the Sirajganj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the park would change the socioeconomic condition of the northern region.

"Due to good communication and other investment facilities, many investors from Sirajganj and adjoining areas will come to invest introducing newer businesses," he said.

Md Aiyub Ali, secretary of the Bangladesh Handloom and Power Loom Owners' Association, said Sirajganj was historically a hub for clothes manufacturing businesses, so weaving-related investments should get priority.

"We hope dyeing and processing factories get space…for the sake of the weavers," he said.

Presence of big investors usually leads to the deprivation of small and medium investors he claimed.

Talked to The Daily Star, the project director however said the BSCIC always sends invites to investors of small and medium industries.

"When plot allotments start, investors must fulfil our conditions so there is no scope to deprive small and medium investors," Khaleque added.