A total of 81 state-owned mills and factories were handed over to the private sector following the recommendations of the Privatization Commission after its formation in 2000.Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq, who is in-charge of the Prime Minister’s Office in Parliament, said this replying to a tabled question from Awami League MP Didarul Alam (Chattogram-4) in the House.Of the 81 mills, 30 were under the Textiles and Jute Ministry, 19 under the Industries Ministry, five under the Environment and Forest Ministry and four under the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry, reports UNB.Of the remaining 23, 20 mills and factories under the Industries Ministry and three others under the Finance Ministry were handed over to the private sector through handing over the government’s shares of the industrial units to private hands.To streamline privatisation processes, the government constituted the Privatisation Commission in 2000. Few years ago, the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority was formed merging the Privatisation Commission and the Board of Investment.Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tajul Islam said the number of the cooperatives registered by the Cooperatives Department is now 1,74,535 ones across the country.Self-cooperatives for 684,070 people or families were created through the Cooperatives in the country, he said replying to a tabled question from opposition MP Mashiur Rahman Ranga (Rangpur-1), who is also immediate past state minister for rural development and co-operatives division.Tajul Islam said of the registered cooperatives, 23,118 are engaged in providing loans.In reply to a scripted question from treasury bench lawmaker M Abdul Latif (Chattogram-11), the LGRD and Cooperatives Minister said the government has a plan to establish cooperative market in each upazila under the government’s management through the Cooperatives Department.
