FROM PAGE B4

He said that gas and power shortages are national issues. Unlike Bepza or Beza zones, BSCIC estates do not have dedicated utility lines and have to depend on existing supply networks, which often fail to meet demand.

Although BSCIC has the authority to cancel leases on long-unused plots, most decisions are challenged in court, leading to costly and drawn-out legal battles, Quadery told The Daily Star.

He said after a five-year wait, plot owners can transfer leases at market rates, with BSCIC collecting a 5 percent fee beyond which it has little control.

The ongoing problems in old zones like Kalurghat and Sholoshahar have dented confidence in newer estates such as Mirsharai, as well as in sites planned for places like Raozan.

Quadery said, “Without affordable power and gas, SMEs cannot thrive against larger industrial competitors.”

Even so, he pointed to recent discussions to revive the BSCIC estates.