Govt to establish 50 more industrial parks by 2030

The government will set up 50 more industrial parks on 20,000 acres of land which will create jobs for five million people by 2030, said industries minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun on Thursday.

"BSCIC will have to provide speedy, easy and real services for the entrepreneurs from its 76 industrial estates at an affordable cost," he said while inaugurating a virtual workshop for BSCIC officials on innovation of civic services organised by BSCIC.

The minister also urged the BSCIC authorities to render real one-stop services to the entrepreneurs aiming to draw more investment in the small, micro, medium and cottage (SMMC) sector.

One-Stop Service Act, 2018 has a provision for Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) to provide desired services for its service seekers/entrepreneurs, he mentioned.

Due to the pandemic, the minister said, an opportunity for shifting labour-intensive industries to Bangladesh has been created.

"Many foreign entrepreneurs have showed their interest to invest in Bangladesh," he said and urged the BSCIC officials to ensure world-standard services for foreign entrepreneurs.

He also called upon them to keep the present pace of production by showing their utmost professionalism and sincerity.

The industries minister directed the BSCIC officials to gearup their activities for creating online marketing platform and help implement Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-declared stimulus package for affected-entrepreneurs of industrial, service and SMMC sectors etc due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In cooperation with BSCIC, he said, thousands of small industries have been set up in rural areas of the country which contribute a lot to boosting the country's economic growth.

The authorities of BSCIC have been maintaining production following the government health guidelines amid the pandemic, the minister mentioned.

The industrial units at BSCIC industrial estates in different districts have been producing consumer products including hand sanitizer, personal protective equipment, mask, detergent powder and edible and industrial salt etc.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman played an important role in establishing the BSCIC.

It (BSCIC) has been engaged in creating employment for millions of unemployed youths in the country.

Director of BSCIC Dr Md Abdus Salam presided over the workshop while its chairman Md Mostaq Hassan, ndc, and district officials and members of the board of directors of BSCIC took part in the virtual workshop.