Renovation of state-owned sugar mills

Most of the state-owned sugar mills in the country have been incurring losses for years after years. To cut its losses, the government has decided to shut down production at six of the 15 sugar mills. The closure of the mills has made thousands of workers jobless, and thrown them into deep uncertainty. The life of sugarcane farmers and workers are also in a sorry state. These people are facing hard times during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The decision of shutting down six state-owned sugar mills will likely compel Bangladesh to rely on imported sugar to some extent. Instead of closing down, these mills could have been made profitable through renovation and modernisation, planned investment, and diversifying sugar and allied products. The authorities concerned should come up with effective measures to cut corruption inside the industry. They also have the responsibility to turn this national enterprise operational and profitable.

Wares Ali Khan,

Sadar, Rangpur,

[email protected]