Business Report :
The government plans to convert defunct jute, sugar, and textile mills into economic zones to better utilise idle land and attract investment for industrial growth.
At a meeting on 13 October, chaired by Beza Board President and Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, strategies were discussed for repurposing closed state-owned factories.
Initially, three sites – Karim Jute Mills Ltd in Dhaka, Kushtia Sugar Mills Ltd, and Mohini Textile Mills Ltd in Kushtia – have been identified for transformation.
Sources said, the move is part of a broader initiative to revive non-operational factories.
Beza Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun earlier announced that over the next two years, five priority economic zones would be developed, with plans to utilise land from closed jute and sugar mills.
As many sites already have basic utilities like electricity and water, Beza hopes this will make them attractive to investors.
All mills under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation have remained closed since July 2020, following financial losses and labour unrest.
Similarly, six state-owned sugar mills were shut down in December 2020 under the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation for the same reasons, along with plans for future modernisation.
Meanwhile, about 23 textile mills under the Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation have been non-operational, some leased to private parties or repurposed.
Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin recently noted that around 50 mills remain shut, though three have already been leased to private investors.
Many of these state-owned factories are facing structural decay due to outdated technology, shrinking market demand, and management failures.
Yet their land and infrastructure, located in historically industrial zones, remain highly suitable for new economic activities and are in demand among investors.
Beza’s preliminary assessments of the three identified mills found them fit for conversion. Karim Jute Mills Ltd, under BJMC, occupies 49.62 acres by the Shitalakkhya River in Demra, Dhaka, featuring mill buildings, warehouses, administrative facilities, ponds, internal roads, a jetty, an 11 kV substation, gas supply, and water systems.
Its location near Sultana Kamal Bridge provides easy access to Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet, with surrounding access to banks and industrial labour.
Kushtia Sugar Mills Ltd, operated by BSFIC, spans 221.46 acres in Jagati, Kushtia.
Built in 1961, the complex includes a sugar factory, bio-fertiliser plant, farm, warehouses, administrative offices, and residential units, supported by a 33/11 kV substation and internal infrastructure.
It is located close to the Kushtia Bypass along the Jashore-Rajshahi highway, offering strong connectivity.
Mohini Textile Mills Ltd, under BTMC, sits on 99 bighas in Kushtia town’s Mill Para area.
Around 28 bighas house the main factory, with the remainder used for social infrastructure. The site maintains its own electricity and water systems.
Through these efforts, the government hopes to revitalise idle industrial land, attract new investment, and drive regional economic growth.
