RMG units being relocated to industrial park in Gazaria
Saturday, 20 October 2007
FHM Humayan Kabir
The caretaker administration has taken initiative to relocate the ready-made garment (RMG) industries from within the city to the outskirts of Dhaka in order to ease traffic congestion and avoid environmental hazards.
The government also has a plan to set up an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) industrial park outside the capital for facilitating the booming pharmaceutical sector in the country.
Official sources said that the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) under the Industries Ministry have taken up two projects to this effect at a cost of Tk 5.02 billion.
The proposals have been sent to the pre-ECNEC (Executive Committee of the National Economic Council) Committee for approval, the sources added.
According to the sources, the RMG factories in Dhaka city would be relocated to Baushia and Laxmipur areas in Gazaria Upazila under Munshiganj district. The API industrial park will also be set up at the same area, the sources added.
The industries ministry sources said that they had taken Tk 2.50 billion project to set up an RMG industrial park in Munshiganj district.
"The apparel units from Dhaka city will be shifted to the proposed RMG industrial park where the government will ensure better infrastructure," a senior ministry official said.
He stated that the government might offer some incentives to the entrepreneurs so that they relocate their industrial units to the proposed industrial park. Besides, other facilities will also be made available to attract investments from foreign entrepreneurs, he stated.
The official in the industries ministry said that if the RMG industries are relocated from the capital to the proposed park, the overall environment would have a positive impact while the city's traffic congestion will ease a lot.
Source in the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said more than 70 per cent of the total 4200 RMG units across the country are situated in the capital and its adjacent areas.
More than 1.5 million workers are employed in those factories and most of them live in and around the factory areas thus creating pressure on the environment, traffic system and living facilities of the city.
Former President of the BGMEA, SM Fazlul Huq, Friday told the FE that not only the traffic congestion, environmental degradation in the city would be reduced considerably if the RMG factories were relocated outside Dhaka city.
He stated that the BGMEA had signed an agreement with the government early this year for working together on the relocation of the RMG industrial units to Munshiganj from Dhaka city.
Meanwhile, the industries ministry sources said that the API industrial park would be set up at a cost of Tk 2.52 billion at the Baushia and Laxmipur area in Munshiganj district. Primarily, some 300 acres of land has been selected for setting up the park there.
The entrepreneurs could be able to produce raw materials and different ingredients of pharmaceutical industries in the API industrial park, the sources added.
Sources in the Industries Ministry said that the World Bank has shown interest to finance the set up of the Tk 2.516 billion API park while funds for the RMG industrial park is yet to be confirmed.
However, the source informed, if external fund is not available the government would mobilise funds from its own resources to set up the RMG park.
According to the Planning Division, both the projects are included in the annual development programme (ADP) for current fiscal 2007-08 without allocating funds.
The projects are scheduled to be completed within the year 2011, the planning division sources said.
The caretaker administration has taken initiative to relocate the ready-made garment (RMG) industries from within the city to the outskirts of Dhaka in order to ease traffic congestion and avoid environmental hazards.
The government also has a plan to set up an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) industrial park outside the capital for facilitating the booming pharmaceutical sector in the country.
Official sources said that the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) under the Industries Ministry have taken up two projects to this effect at a cost of Tk 5.02 billion.
The proposals have been sent to the pre-ECNEC (Executive Committee of the National Economic Council) Committee for approval, the sources added.
According to the sources, the RMG factories in Dhaka city would be relocated to Baushia and Laxmipur areas in Gazaria Upazila under Munshiganj district. The API industrial park will also be set up at the same area, the sources added.
The industries ministry sources said that they had taken Tk 2.50 billion project to set up an RMG industrial park in Munshiganj district.
"The apparel units from Dhaka city will be shifted to the proposed RMG industrial park where the government will ensure better infrastructure," a senior ministry official said.
He stated that the government might offer some incentives to the entrepreneurs so that they relocate their industrial units to the proposed industrial park. Besides, other facilities will also be made available to attract investments from foreign entrepreneurs, he stated.
The official in the industries ministry said that if the RMG industries are relocated from the capital to the proposed park, the overall environment would have a positive impact while the city's traffic congestion will ease a lot.
Source in the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said more than 70 per cent of the total 4200 RMG units across the country are situated in the capital and its adjacent areas.
More than 1.5 million workers are employed in those factories and most of them live in and around the factory areas thus creating pressure on the environment, traffic system and living facilities of the city.
Former President of the BGMEA, SM Fazlul Huq, Friday told the FE that not only the traffic congestion, environmental degradation in the city would be reduced considerably if the RMG factories were relocated outside Dhaka city.
He stated that the BGMEA had signed an agreement with the government early this year for working together on the relocation of the RMG industrial units to Munshiganj from Dhaka city.
Meanwhile, the industries ministry sources said that the API industrial park would be set up at a cost of Tk 2.52 billion at the Baushia and Laxmipur area in Munshiganj district. Primarily, some 300 acres of land has been selected for setting up the park there.
The entrepreneurs could be able to produce raw materials and different ingredients of pharmaceutical industries in the API industrial park, the sources added.
Sources in the Industries Ministry said that the World Bank has shown interest to finance the set up of the Tk 2.516 billion API park while funds for the RMG industrial park is yet to be confirmed.
However, the source informed, if external fund is not available the government would mobilise funds from its own resources to set up the RMG park.
According to the Planning Division, both the projects are included in the annual development programme (ADP) for current fiscal 2007-08 without allocating funds.
The projects are scheduled to be completed within the year 2011, the planning division sources said.