RAJSHAHI, Jan 11, 2021 (BSS) – Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir
Gazi (Bir Protik), MP, has formally reopened the Rajshahi Silk Factory as
part of the government’s efforts of revitalizing the traditional silk sector
in phases.
He reopened operational activities of 19 looms of the state-owned factory
to mark the Mijib Borsha, birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, on Sunday afternoon as chief guest.
Fazley Hossain Badsha, MP, Advocate Adiba Anjum Mita, MP, Secretary to the
Textiles and Jute Ministry Lokeman Hossain Mian and Chairman of Bangladesh
Handloom Board Shah Alam were present on the occasion.
Six of the looms were reopened in 2017 for the first time locally after
around 16 years of closure in 2002.
The minister also went round different sections of the silk factory and
Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute (BSRTI) to see for
himself their activities.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Dastagir Gazi said steps have been
taken to bring more power looms of the factory in operation to restore the
lost glory of traditional Rajshahi Silk. “We are pledged to revive the lost
glory of silk,” he said adding that when all the 63 looms will go into
operation 2.87 lakh meters silk clothes will be produced every year.
He said BSDB has adopted a Taka 32-crore project for boosting silk
production and mulberry farming.
The minister said closure of the mill was very much unfortunate for people
of the area. People of the city are struggling for a long demanding reopening
of the mill. Besides, he said many people of the region will be employed here
after reopening the mill.
Simultaneously, a model factory will be set up adjacent to BSRTI here as
an exhibit so that people visiting here from outside could get a real picture
of Rajshahi silk.
Minister Dastagir Gazi asked the BSDB and BSRTI officials and others
concerned to put in their best efforts to make the state level silk sector
profitable for the sake of protecting its existence. He said there is no way
but to down the cost of production to make the sector profitable. It is very
essential to take the sector forward through facing all existing challenges.
“We have to build the silk sector as a model to inspire and promote the
private sector,” he added.
According to the sources concerned, the factory was commissioned on 15.5
bighas of land in the city’s Seroil area in 1961.
In 1996, the then Awami League government modernised the factory through
adding modern machines at a cost of around Taka 10 crore and restarted it
partially subsequently.
But, the then BNP-led four-party alliance government declared the factory
lay off in the name of continuous loss on November 30, 2002.