Hazaribagh based tannery factory owners said Saturday that they were preparing sue the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation to demand compensations for the losses they were incurring due to closure of their factories. Speaking at a news conference in the capital they accused BSCIC of furnishing false information to the court to get its orders to snap gas, electricity and water supply connections to the tannery factories at Hazaribagh since April 8 which led to the stoppage of production. Chamra Shilpa Rakkha Oikya Parishad, a combine of 19 associations including Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters’ Association — organised the press conference. BRA chairman Shaheen Ahmed said that they have started assessment of their loss of production due to shut of their factories to file cases. Claims for compensations would be laid against BSCIC, he said, as it’s inefficiency and corruption threw the second highest foreign currency earning sector into deep crisis. He accused BSCIC of creating the crisis for the tannery industry by providing ‘false information’ to the court, the higher authorities in the government as well as the media that it had readied the tannery pat at Savar. In a nine-point demand, the tanners asked the government to immediately extend gas, water and electricity supply connections to their factories at Savar and register the industrial polts alloyted to them in accordance with the memorandum of understanding signed in 2003. They also demanded immediate installation of central effluent treatment plant, chrome recovery unit and dumping yard of international standards at the tannery park. BFLLFEA chairman Mohiuddin Ahmed Mahin announced a six-day programme for taking out silent processions, human chains and holding protest rallies beginning Monday to realize the demands. The programme would also laying a siege around the BSCIC office for which Mahin announced no schedule.
