No scope to raise bus fares citing fuel price hikes Textile and Jute Minister

Minister for Industries, Textiles and Jute, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, has said that there is no justification for dramatically increasing bus fares or the prices of essential goods due to a rise in fuel prices. He also emphasised the need for increased monitoring in this regard.

The minister further stated that future investors should avoid fuel-intensive factories and instead focus on establishing less fuel-intensive industries.

He made these remarks on Saturday (April 25) while responding to questions from journalists after visiting the knit industrial park built on the former site of Chittaranjan Cotton Mills in Godnail, Siddhirganj, Narayanganj.

He said that electricity is first generated and then distributed to private sector industries, and therefore it is not accurate to claim that production has been disrupted or exports have declined solely due to fuel-related issues. He added that a mild global slowdown in exports is also a significant contributing factor.

Responding to another question, the minister said that two plots of BTMC have already been used to establish the industrial park, and the same company is in the process of acquiring two more plots. The remaining plots are facing some local encroachment issues, which will be resolved promptly to facilitate investment in all industrial plots.

Others present at the event included State Minister Shariful Alam, BTMC Chairman Brig. Gen. S.M. Zahid Hasan, Project Director (PPP) Kazi Firoz Hossain, Deputy Chief Accounts Officer Rafiqul Islam, Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Md. Raihan Kabir, and Managing Director of Bornali Collection Ltd., Aminur Rahman Sabbir.

Later, the minister, along with the state minister and other officials, visited a garment factory named Bornali Collection Ltd. in the textile industrial park, and also inspected the remaining plots.