The government has redoubled its efforts to reclaim the unused industrial plots to redistribute those to new but promising entrepreneurs for expediting activities of small and cottage industries at the grassroots level. There are 74 industrial estates under the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation in the country and there are ‘instances’ of misusing allocated plots.‘There’re some allotted industrial plots where no industry has been set up,’ a senior industries ministry official told UNB without giving the number of such plots. Even, there is an instance that such industrial plot is being used for housing purposes violating the directives, the official said observing that many promising entrepreneurs are unable to establish industrial units for lack of industrial plots.He said the government is working to cancel such industrial plots and will reallocate those among new but promising entrepreneurs. Another official who was present at the recently held deputy commissioners’ conference said industries minister Amir Hossain Amu raised the issue and drew attention of the DCs to implement the government plan. The government established BSCIC as the prime mover organisation in Bangladesh to support industrialisation process through creation of an entrepreneurial society. The industries minister directed the DCs to think of establishing planned industrial estates by utilising their respective district’s potential, another official said.The government will also act to free plots which are occupied by individuals illegally as soon as possible. According to a government document, some 6 acres of land under plot numbers 1-4 in Tongi industrial area of Gazipur district are occupied by some individuals illegally.The land is owned by Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation and necessary directives are given to launch eviction drive to free the land, BSEC sources said. Meanwhile, some 16 acres of land in Agrabad commercial area in Chittgaong is also occupied illegally and case filed by Pragoti Industries Limited is under trial, industries ministry officials said. An official at BSCIC said the government has also taken up an expansionary plan for industrial estates taking Pabna, Dhamrai, Rajshahi, Narsingdhi, Comilla, Gopalganj, B’Baria, Manikganj, Narayanganj, Tangail, Rangpur, Khulna, Faridpur and Bagerhat.The industries ministry wants to see around 35 per cent contribution of industrial sector to the national economy by 2021.
