BCIC plans 11 new projects to return to profit, create jobs

Staff Reporter :

The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) has put forward a plan to launch 11 new projects to improve its financial condition and generate employment. These include a new fertilizer factory in Bhola, a glass factory, and a basic chemicals plant.

The plan outlines the setup of eight new factories and the installation of new plants by using unused land inside existing facilities. BCIC currently operates 18 state-owned organisations. Seven of them produce urea, DAP, and TSP fertilizer. Several other factories have been shut down for years due to a lack of gas supply.

The proposed projects include a urea–formaldehyde-85 plant at Jamuna Fertilizer Company Ltd, a new TSP plant at TSP Complex Ltd, a government-run fertilizer factory in Bhola with a daily capacity of 1,700 tonnes, starch factory and an API (active pharmaceutical ingredients) complex on the sites of Khulna Newsprint Mills and Khulna Hard Board Mills, chlorine-alkali and basic chemicals factory at Chittagong Chemicals Complex, a modern plant at Bangladesh Insulator & Sanitaryware Factory, a special glass plant at Usmania Glass Sheet Factory, a new leather factory at Dhaka Leather Company, a WPP-bag factory for packaging fertilizers, a new glass factory on 197 acres of land at Ashuganj Fertilizer & Chemical Company.

The proposals were shared yesterday during a workshop titled “Day-long Workshop to Turn BCIC into a Profitable Corporation,” held at the BCIC headquarters. Industries Secretary Md Obaidur Rahman inaugurated the event, while BCIC Chairman Md Fazlur Rahman chaired it. Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan was expected at the closing session.

During the workshop, BCIC’s Planning and Implementation Director, Md Delwar Hossain, presented the plans. He said the new projects are necessary for BCIC to return to profitability. He explained that expanding fertilizer production would reduce import needs, save foreign currency, and create more jobs.

BCIC also pointed out earlier that its fertilizer plants have been losing money mainly due to long shutdowns caused by gas shortages, poor maintenance, and failure to meet production targets.
To solve these issues, BCIC recommended ensuring uninterrupted gas supply throughout the year, rehabilitating factories that have been closed for nearly 15 years, replacing old machinery on time, and adjusting fertilizer prices to match global market rates so loan payments for the new Ghorasal–Polash urea plant can be made.