Bidding starts soon on setting up CETP at Savar

---

Mahmuda Shaolin
The government will float a fresh tender for setting up a central effluent treatment plant (CETP) at the leather industrial estate in Savar next month to help accelerate the process of relocation of city tanneries. "We've completed all procedures to invite the fresh tender--hopefully, next month," an official at BSCIC said.
"Last year, we were forced to cancel the tender due mainly to the price escalation. This time, we will follow a transparent process and award the contract to the lowest bidder," he added.
The relocation of tanneries in the city's Hazaribagh area to the proposed leather industrial park has remained stuck up in bureaucratic red tape for several years, thus wreaking havoc on environment.
In its original project proposal, prepared in 2003, the government estimated the project costs at Tk 1.75 billion. But the inordinate delay in the implementation has pushed the project costs up by Tk 3.70 billion to Tk 5.45 billion in the revised proposal in 2007.
State-owned Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) is implementing the project on the 200-acre land at Kantiboilapur, Chandranarayanpur and Charnarayanpur in Savar. The corporation is supposed to hand over the industrial estate to the tanners by 2010 according to the revised schedule.
"The authorities, we have been told, have already completed the civil work including sewerage for the Hazaribagh Tannery Relocation Project (HTRP)'s," said Md. Rezaul Karim Ansari, president of Bangladesh finished leather, leather goods and footwear exporters association (BFLLFEA).
He added that power and gas supply connections will be installed soon.
As per agreement with the leather industry owners, the government would bear all establishment costs of the industrial estate. After completion of infrastructure the government will hand over the plots to the tannery industry owners.
The industry owners would pay back the establishment cost of CETP and dumping yard in 20 years time, according to a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
In 2003, BSCIC, Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters' Association (BFLLFEA) and Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTAA) signed a tripartite agreement to implement the project.
The HTRP was undertaken by the industries ministry in 2003 to protect the capital city and the Buriganga River from the toxic pollution.
Hazaribagh is home to almost 200 tanneries, which produce several thousand tonnes of toxic wastes and industrial effluents daily, causing environmental pollution and exposing the city population to the greater public health risks.