Khulna Textile Mills: Abandoned for 31 years

The once-thriving Khulna Textile Mills Limited, now a neglected relic of the past, has remained abandoned for nearly 31 years. Established in 1931 as the Acharya Prafulla Chandra Cotton Mill, the mill sits on 25.63 acres of land in the heart of Khulna city. It was renamed in 1960 and nationalised in 1972, following Bangladesh's independence.

In 1993, the government laid off 1,600 workers and employees, shutting down operations with promises to resume, but the mill has remained closed ever since.

Over the years, various initiatives by the Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation failed to reopen the mill, leaving the vast industrial site unused and derelict.

The mill's land, now overrun with trees and dotted with just a few remaining buildings, stands as a reminder of its once-prosperous past.

When visiting the site, this correspondent observed an eerie calm, with three old buildings and a broken boundary wall the only remnants of the mill's operations. A police outpost and a small tin-shed housing security guards are the sole signs of human activity.

Once a thriving business, the Khulna Textile Mills Limited building is now simply a neglected relic of the past. It has remained abandoned for nearly 31 years. The landscape is now overrun with trees and dotted with just a few remaining buildings. Photo: Habibur Rahman

While the government continues to protect the land, residents and local authorities have raised concerns over its prolonged abandonment.

Sheikh Ashrafuzzaman, president of the Greater Khulna Development Movement Coordinating Committee, said, "This valuable land has been lying unused for more than three decades, with the government spending money just to protect it. The authorities lack sincerity and commitment to bring any positive change."

Various plans have been proposed for the site, none of which have materialised. I

In 1999, the Awami League government initiated a project to develop a textile village, dividing 18.02 acres into 36 industrial plots. The remaining land was allocated for roads, mosques, schools, and other services.

However, the project missed its 2002 deadline and was never completed. In 2017 and 2018, BTMC invited tenders for the plots but received no serious bids, effectively halting the plan to establish the textile village.

The Khulna Development Authority, along with the department of environment, has since declared the site unsuitable for industrial development due to the surrounding residential areas. As a result, BTMC has shifted its focus to creating a world-class theme park on the land.

The proposed park would be the first of its kind in Bangladesh, featuring a European-style virtual reality (VR) 3D amusement park, water rides modelled on the Sundarbans, a coconut garden, and a resort.

BTMC claims the park can be built without cutting down any of the existing trees, including the 375 coconut trees that surround a two-acre pond within the premises.

Despite these ambitious plans, residents remain skeptical. Many question whether the authorities will follow through, pointing to past failed projects.

Contacted, BTMC project director Kazi Firoz Hossain said, "A new proposal has been taken to build a world-class theme park with separate entertainment zones, replacing the earlier plan for a textile village."