Tanners now want to build township at Hazaribagh

Ismail Hossain | Published: January 11, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

Tannery owners now want to build a modern township on around 50 acres of land in the city's Hazaribagh area after relocation of their factories to Savar.
"We have discussed the issue in our forum and decided to construct a planned housing project in the area under a joint venture or a single initiative," President of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods & Footwear Exporters Association (BFLLFEA) Mohammad Abu Taher told the FE Friday.
He said, "The modern buildings including school, college, community centres, playgrounds and other residential facilities will be there."
"We will welcome any high-quality realtor who will come up with a modern plan on its own or on joint venture basis," he said. Â
The process of relocating tannery factories from the city's Hazaribagh area to Savar's Hemayetpur was to be completed by December this year but the tanners have not yet started relocation.
There are around 200 tanneries stretched at around 70 acres of which 50 acres could be used for the planned township.
Tanners say there are many world-class housing companies in Bangladesh which can build a modern township in Hazaribagh, a place very close to the Dhanmondi residential area.
Shamsul Huda, former president of the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA) said another purpose ofÂ building a township is to collect money as tanners do not have enough cash to relocate the factories now.
Last October, the government and the tanners signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to ensure the relocation of Hazaribag tanneries to the Savar Tannery Estate.
Since 2001, the government ignored a ruling from the High Court that ordered installation of adequate waste treatment systems in the Hazaribagh tanneries.
The government has sought extension of a 2009 High Court order to relocate Hazaribagh tanneries out of Dhaka and then ignored the order when extension expired.
According to the MoU, the government would provide Tk 2.5 billion as compensation to the tanners and bear Tk 6.63 billion or 80 per cent of the total project cost.
However, the owners will have to pay the remaining 20 per cent or Tk 1.65 billion in installments.
According to the first MoU, signed in 2003, the government would bear the cost of setting up the central effluent treatment plant (CETP) and pay Tk 2.5 billion as compensation to the tanners for relocation. But, according to another MoU, signed in 2007 between the two parties, the government would construct the CETP. But its cost would have to be paid by the tanners in installments in 15 years.