Industries Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has said industrial development is the path to the country's economic progress.
"Given Bangladesh's large population and limited land, the development of labour-intensive manufacturing industries is one of the most effective ways to achieve the country's economic progress," he said while exchanging views with plot owners at the BSCIC Industrial Estate yesterday (20 October) in the conference room of the Rajshahi BSCIC Regional Office.
The minister said the government would give priority in the future to industrial sectors that could create more jobs with low capital investment.
Mentioning that the development of skilled human resources is one of the government's priorities, he said, "The greater the scope for manufacturing industries in the country, the greater the demand for skilled and trained manpower will be."
The minister said that ensuring a productive sector and a favourable environment was essential to establishing a direct link between investment and employment.
To create sustainable employment, small, cottage and medium-sized enterprises could generate the most jobs in the country. Therefore, steps were being taken to ensure easy-term loans and market access for these enterprises, he added.
He said that, instead of traditional education, young people needed to receive technical training and develop their skills in line with the requirements of industrial factories and the service sector.
The exchange-of-views meeting was moderated by Zafar Bayezid, regional director of the BSCIC Regional Office. Anawarul Azim, an officer of the Industrial Estate, gave a brief presentation on the activities of the BSCIC Industrial Estate in Rajshahi.
The meeting was chaired by Rafiqul Islam, deputy general manager of the BSCIC District Office in Rajshahi.
Other guests present included Abul Kalam Azad, MP; Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Hasen Ali; and social worker and entrepreneur Liakat Ali.
The speakers included Engineer Shakilur Rahman Shakil, a plot owner and entrepreneur at Rajshahi BSCIC-1 and BSCIC-2; freedom fighter Abdul Malek; and businesspeople Akhtaruzzaman, Kamrunnahar, Abdul Gani, Ziaur Rahman, Shamshul Alam, Abdus Sattar Karim, Rafiq Hasan, Ashraful Islam, Saifuzzaman Jacky and others.
They raised concerns about gas and electricity supplies at Rajshahi BSCIC-1 and BSCIC-2 with the minister.
They said that, due to the absence of a boundary wall around Rajshahi BSCIC-1, they felt insecure, with incidents of theft and mugging taking place. They stressed the urgent need for security guards.
The speakers also appealed to the minister to arrange loans on easy terms and stop raw material VAT.
They requested the construction of drains, the resurfacing of roads and the establishment of a fire service station in the BSCIC area.
At the end of the meeting, the minister expressed hope that he would take comprehensive initiatives and effective measures to resolve the problems facing Rajshahi BSCIC-1 and BSCIC-2.