RANGPUR, July 24, 2018 (BSS) – Full-fledged functioning of the Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) regional road connectivity in near future
would pave the way for boosting industrialisation in Rangpur region and
international trade.
Former FBCCI Vice-president Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu said functioning of
the regional BBIN road connectivity would attract foreign investors for
industrialisation on joint ventures in the region to create huge jobs for
unemployed youths.
“The Rangpur region is characterised by its prospective agro-based economy
and investment-friendly atmosphere feasible for setting up multi-dimensional
agro-based and other industries on private sector joint ventures,” he said.
The fertile agrarian Rangpur region produces huge rice, wheat, maize, jute,
sugarcane, mango, jack-fruit, banana, papaya and vegetables like potato,
tomato and bean every year with abundance of cheap labour.
“The abundance of agro- products round the year can attract local and
foreign investors to set up food-processing and agro-based industries for
marketing products locally and exporting to the BBIN region and the globe as
a whole,” Babu added.
Industrialist Babu, also a former President of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (RCCI), said increased cultivation of vegetables and fruits in
the region could supply raw materials to the agro-processing industries round
the year.
He invited investors of the BBIN countries to set up large, medium and
small-scale industries on joint ventures in Rangpur region having huge
resources to explore local as well as foreign markets to boost regional
economy, relation and development.
President of RCCI Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu said, “The BBIN
connectivity is a reality as construction of roads has already been completed
in Indian part and the process is progressing fast in Bangladesh part under
the regional connectivity programme.”
Titu called upon the entrepreneurs of BBIN countries for joint investments
in the agro-processing, auto brick kiln, light engineering, producing orange
jelly, maize powder, house wares and other prospective sectors in Rangpur
region.
He said, “The farmers of Rangpur region require substantial amount of
fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides as its economy is mainly based on
agriculture round the year.”
“But, there are no such industries in Rangpur region,” Titu said adding
that the fertiliser and pesticide industries could be established on joint
ventures in order to absorb some part of labour force and fulfill demand of
these products in the region.
The present government has already started the process of setting up a
special economic zone in Rangpur to attract both local and foreign investors
for industrialisation.
“The process of establishing an IT Park in Rangpur has also begun to
create jobs for 5,000 educated youths and encourage the private investors to
launch joint ventures in the IT sector,” Titu said.
Side by side with utilising the BBIN road connectivity, Titu suggested the
investors to explore potential of Uttara Export Processing Zone (EPZ),
Syedpur airport and five major land ports located in Rangpur division for
industrialisation on joint investments.
Senior vice-president of RCCI Mostoba Hossain Ripan appreciated the
government for taking initiatives to upgrade Syedpur airport situated near
the Uttara EPZ, 42-kilometre off from Rangpur city, to an international
standard airport.
“Taking the advantage of running cargo aircrafts from Syedpur airport and
BBIN road connectivity, entrepreneurs from its member countries would be
inspired in setting up industries in Rangpur region on private sector joint
ventures,” Ripon hoped.