Relocation of chemical factories from Old Dhaka still uncertain
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Besides, a large number of rubber, plastic and sandal-making factories have been operating in some areas.
According to Bangladesh Environment Conservation Rules 1997, no industrial units using hazardous chemicals or goods can operate in and around a residential area, and the factory owners must have environmental clearance certificates before using the materials.
Ignoring the government ban, unscrupulous traders store inflammable chemicals in the area.
CHANGES IN PLAN
In October 2018, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the BSCIC Chemical Industrial Park project to be completed within June 2021.
But, when the authority had started working on land acquisition, the Chawkbazar fire in February last year made the government rethink its plans and bring fresh changes, according to Project Director Saiful Islam.
The Keraniganj site initially selected for the project was densely populated, he said, adding that the Ecnec in April last year approved the first revision of the project and selected Sirajdikhan as the site. It will now be completed within June 2022.
After getting the revised order of the project in June last year, they started discussion with the local administration to acquire land and within six months they completed the procedure, Islam said.
“Last month, the deputy commissioner’s office of Munshiganj sought Tk 531.26 crore within four months to acquire all the 308.33 acres of land and we have given them Tk 144 crore so far,” he said.
“We will soon send another Tk 40 crore,” he added.
But a source at Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), which is implementing the projects, said Tk 80 has been allocated for this project in the current fiscal year and they have already got the money.
“So, we would need more money to complete the land acquisition timely,” he said wishing anonymity. “Land acquisition may be delayed if we fail to provide the rest of the amount within four months.”
Islam said if the funds are provided on time, land acquisition and development can be done within six months.
PROJECT FOR PLASTIC INDUSTRIES REVISED TOO
The government in 2004 had taken a move to relocate plastic industrial units from Old Dhaka considering fire risk and environmental hazards for the densely populated area. The Nimtoli fire intensified the move.
In December 2015, the Ecnec approved BSCIC Plastic Industrial Estate project to be implemented in Sirajdikhan upazila in between July 2015 and June 2018 involving Tk 133 crore.
But the project authority could not start the work due to complications related to land acquisition. Land owners of the project site in Sirajdikhan vehemently opposed the government plan. Even the project director was assaulted by them when he went there to conduct a survey, a BSCIC official said.
Long delay in land acquisition forced the authority to extend the deadline for one year. But a rise in land cost led the authority to revise the cost and deadline of the project last week.
As per the revised plan, the project cost would be Tk 397.45 crore, which is 198 percent higher than the original cost and fresh deadline would be June 2021.
However, after a long round of negotiation involving the deputy commissioner’s office in Munshiganj, leaders of the association of plastic industries and project officials, the owners agreed to hand over their land, the BSCIC official said. A total of Tk 94.95 crore was spent till August last year.
Two other projects—Printing Industries Estate and Electric Products and Light Electronics Industries Estate—witnessed better progress. However, both the projects failed to be complete within the deadline mainly due to problems related to land acquisition.
The project involving Tk 213 crore to shift light electronics industrial units in Old Dhaka was supposed to be completed within June 2019 but as per the revised plan, its new deadline is June 2022 and cost is Tk 315.80 crore.
The project, which is being implemented on 50 acres of land in Tongibari upazila of Munshiganj, spent Tk 236 crore till August last year.
The Ecnec passed the BSCIC Printing Industries Estate project of Tk 138.70 crore in January 2016 and it was scheduled to be completed within December 2018.
But the project to be implemented beside the Plastic Industry Estate in Sirajdikhan could not be completed within the extended deadline of December 2019. So, BSCIC last month sent a proposal to the planning ministry for a fresh revision of cost and time, the BSCIC official said.