‘Cancel BSCIC plots allotted on political grounds’

Staff Reporter :

Industrial plots allocated on political considerations under the previous government through the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) will have to be revoked, Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan said Wednesday.

“Many plots remain vacant because they were allotted to individuals who were not genuine entrepreneurs. These allocations must be cancelled,” Khan said while addressing the Annual Conference and Workshop 2025 at the BSCIC in Dhaka.

Highlighting the importance of small, cottage, and medium enterprises in driving industrialisation, Khan noted, “Our economic strength does not lie in big corporate houses but in the millions of small entrepreneurs across rural and semi-urban areas.”

He added that small industries contribute around 25 percent to the country’s GDP and provide nearly 80 percent of employment in the industrial sector, underlining the need to prioritise their growth and development.

Unlike other industrial institutions, BSCIC has a strong grassroots presence, he said, but acknowledged ongoing criticism from entrepreneurs regarding bureaucratic delays, limited access to financing, and inadequate support services.

“We want a BSCIC that truly empowers grassroots entrepreneurs,” Khan said, calling for reforms to streamline loan procedures, introduce collateral-free loans, and remove banking hurdles.

He also expressed concern over underutilised industrial estates, particularly those outside Dhaka, noting that many face gas and electricity shortages.

“Bureaucratic red tape must be removed, and BSCIC should be transformed into an efficient, online one-stop service platform,” he urged.

Khan further encouraged district-level officials to promote youth entrepreneurship in the spirit of inclusivity inspired by the July movement, helping young people become job creators rather than job seekers.