First revision of printing park project to get ECNEC nod

Six years after the approval, the first revised plan of the printing park at Sirajdikhan of Munshiganj, would be on the discussion table at Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting for approval today (Tuesday).

ECNEC initially approved the project on March 29, 2016, and now, six years after the approval, the project is set to continue in a new place with almost double of the budget.

Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) send a revised plan early this year with Tk264.55 crore, over 90% of its initial budget of Tk138.70 crore. They also presented a bigger plan with 100 acres of land instead of 43 acres of land.

They also proposed a new deadline for ending the project in December 2024.

The planning commission said the project expenses are increased due to the increase of land, expansion of other activities related to land – landfilling, building roads and water supply systems, etc.

The proposal was made at a time when the financial progress of the project is Tk79.35crore or 57% of the initial approval till June 2022.

The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division in their observation over pre feasibilities studies reported that the studies do not contain anything about the possibilities of success of the project which means there is no mention of opinion from the printing businessman, sources said.

The technical analysis also presented a contrary picture than that of its purposes. The study did not mention the sources of information based on what the expanses were determined.

According to the evaluation division, the RDPP of the project included Rate schedule 2018 but rate schedule 2022 has already been published. It can bring new complications to carrying the expanses.

After the Nimtola incident where 124 people died, BSCIC decided to relocate all the factories and industry from Old Dhaka to Keraniganj area.

Six years after the decision, BSCIC decided to establish a printing park at Munshiganj that eventually got approval as well.

The project was supposed to be implemented within 2018.

But ECNEC deferred the deadline thrice and the project was supposed to be completed within December 2020.

But in Mid-2020, Prime Minister Office (PMO) asked to change the implementation in Borobortota area evicting so many families residing there.

Following prime minister’s advice, they turned to Bangladesh Export Zone Authority (BEZA). But they could not get to the area. Finally, in late 2021 they got 100 acres of land from Munshiganj administration.

According to BSCIC, some 299 printing industries will get the opportunity to set up their factories there which would create employment for some 200,000 people.