RAJSHAHI, Jan 18, 2020 (BSS) – The industrial estate of Bangladesh Small
and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in Rajshahi has, so far, generated
employment scopes of more than 10,000 people in various trades till last
October.
The people got the jobs in various fields like enterprise development,
skill development and training, industry ownership transfer and establishment
of new industries.
Employment for around 6,500 people is expected to be generated in the next
five years, said Tamanna Rahman, deputy general manager of BSCIC.
She said 3,500 people were imparted entrepreneurship and skill development
training for the entrepreneurship development and employment generation in
the last 10 years.
Around 1,250 entrepreneurs were given necessary supports of getting
industrial loan worth around Taka 76.86 crore. Registration was given to 261
industries. Investment worth around Taka 27.50 crore has been achieved in 43
industries through ownership transfer.
In the current 2019-2020 fiscal year, the BSCIC has set a target to
identify 333 entrepreneurs, impart entrepreneurship development training to
210 people, credit support to 147 others and employment generation for 1,325
people.
The 325-plot BSCIC industrial estate, established in 1961 on 95.71 acres on
the city’s outskirts, has been providing electricity, water supply, security,
road and drainage facilities to the entrepreneurs for running their business.
Several silk-clothes manufacturing units earned reputation for their
quality products. They expect that there would be no more sick industry in
the estate, the officials said.
Terming the BSCIC industrial area viable for any small and medium industry,
Liakat Ali, president of Bangladesh Silk Industries Owners Association, said
the entrepreneurs are making a profit and demanding uninterrupted power and
gas supply to the BSCIC for reducing production costs.
Meanwhile, development works of the second industrial estate of BSCIC are
progressing aimed at generating employment opportunities for more than 5,000
people in Rajshahi.
The estate being developed on 50 acres of land at Parila area will also
help flourishing industrial sector in the city and its outskirts.
The development works are being implemented under a project titled
“Rajshahi BSCIC Industrial Estate-2” involving around Taka 131.74 crore since
July, 2015.
BSCIC, Rajshahi Regional Office has been implementing the project setting a
target of developing 296 plots for accommodating 250 industrial units coupled
with generating the employment opportunities.
Tamanna Rahman said the government has taken the decision of providing
industrial plots to the actual entrepreneurs as per the necessity. Under the
project, there will be three types of plots. The number of A-type industrial
unit is 83 having 6,000 square feet each while 89 units will be B-type with
4,500 square feet each and the remaining plots will be S-type with the size
of 3,500-8,000 square feet.
The industrial plots will be developed considering the country’s socio-
economic condition and future necessity as the entrepreneurs are expanding
the SME gradually in the region, she added.