The construction of an industrial printing park in Munshiganj has seen almost zero progress even though plans for the initiative were laid out nearly eight years back, according to the Planning Commission.

Analysts say the situation mainly stems from poor project handling as inadequate feasibility studies by the authorities concerned caused delays in land acquisition and other complications.

Having initiated the project in January 2016, the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) aimed to complete construction by December 2019 at a cost of roughly Tk 138 crore.

However, the implementing agency is seeking to extend the deadline by another one-and-a-half-years to June 2026. The deadline was previously set at December 2024 following revision in December 2021.

Additionally, the BSCIC is now asking for Tk 457.95 crore to complete the project, up 73 percent from the previously revised estimate, show documents of the Planning Commission.

The BSCIC recently sent its revised proposal to the planning commission, prompting a meeting of the project evaluation committee last month.

Now, all that remains is to secure final approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council, as per sources at the planning commission.

The government had planned to set up an exclusive area for industrial printing on nearly 50 acres of land in Sirajdikhan upazila of Munshiganj in a bid to move unplanned printing factories away from Dhaka.

But the original three-year tenure for implementing the project expired before any work even began, forcing the BSCIC to seek its first revision.

DELAYS IN LAND ACQUISITION

Attempts to acquire land for the project were initially thwarted as government officials assigned to the task in 2018 were assaulted by locals protecting their homes, mosques and madrasas.

The BSCIC then sought a solution from the Prime Minister's Office, which directed the implementing agency to acquire the necessary plots from state-owned khas land.

As such, a new committee was formed to select another viable location and ultimately, 100 acres of land in Chitrakot union under Sirajdikhan upazila were selected for the project.

Still, the land acquisition process remains incomplete. So, it is not yet possible to invite tenders for installing utilities and other project works, the BSCIC said in its letter to the Planning Commission.

Nizam Uddin, project director of the BSCIC industrial printing park, said they have entered the final stage of acquiring land from the district administration.

"We will begin physical work soon," he added.

Regan Chakma, senior assistant commissioner of Munshiganj, said they sent a letter to the BSCIC on December 18 last year, seeking around Tk 128 crore as compensation for the new site.

"As per the rules, they have to pay within 120 days," he added.

REACTION OF BUSINESSES

Shahid Serneabat, former chairman of the Mudran Shilpa Samity, an association of printing press operators, blamed the ineptitude of BSCIC officials for the delays in project implementation.

"It is a complete failure on their part," he added.

Citing how there is an acute shortage of space for printing presses, particularly in Dhaka, Serneabat said they would willingly move to the industrial estate if given the opportunity.

Rabbani Jabber, president of the Mudran Shilpa Samity, said the high cost of renting space for printing presses in Dhaka is forcing them to move to outlying areas such as Savar, Keraniganj and Narayanganj.

The printing industry is an emerging sector in Bangladesh with around active 7,000 printing companies, including small and medium enterprises, employing around two lakh people directly and indirectly.

Seeking anonymity, a top official of the Planning Commission said there are many loopholes in this project in terms of proper planning.

Likewise, many other BSCIC projects see very slow implementation for their poor project handling skill, the official added.

"Before taking such a project, the authorities should ensure a proper feasibility study and consider the stakeholders' concerns," said Khondaker Golam Moazzem, research director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue.

"There is a mentality for quick initiation of a project. As a result, the project usually faces obstacles like time and cost overruns," he added.

Moazzem also said that as there has been no physical progress, the country has been deprived of economic returns from the project for the past eight years. Against this backdrop, he urged the BSCIC to develop the project management skills of its officials.

On the other hand, BSCIC Chairman Mahbubor Rahman denied that it is their failure to implement the project on time.

"Which institutions are playing an active role like us? Those who work less are complaining," he said.