The owners of ailing industries have sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s assistance to save them as they have been termed as loan defaulters by banks.
They made the call on Sunday at the first meeting of the FBCCI Standing Committee on Rehabilitation of the Sick Industry, held at the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry office in the capital, said a press release.
After assuming power in 2009, the business leaders said, the Awami League government formed a high-powered task force to rehabilitate the ailing industries and settle their liabilities.
The task force also divided the sick factories into three categories — garments, textiles and non-textiles.
“Subsequently, as per the decision of the task force, the government had issued circulars settling the liabilities of 279 garment and 100 textile factories. However, no non-textile factory is yet to receive the facility from the government,” they said.
Due to cases filed against them with the Money Loan Court by various banks, these ailing industries have been barred from taking on new business ventures, they said.
Although several meetings were held at various times with the Bangladesh Bank and the Ministry of Finance for issuance of the circular for non-textile factories, there was no solution to this matter, the business leaders said.
At the meeting, FBCCI Standing Committee on Rehabilitation of the Sick Industry Chairman Sadeque U Chowdhury said that a Munsef Committee was formed in 1998 to rehabilitate the ailing industries.
“The then Awami League government had set up a fund of Tk 100 crore for the rehabilitation of sick industries,” he pointed out.
Giving assurance of its support, FBCCI Senior Vice-President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu said a separate desk would be set up at the FBCCI to assist and rehabilitate the sick industries.
“At the same time, a letter will be sent to each chamber and association to make a list of sick factories. After receiving the list, the FBCCI will take steps to rehabilitate the newly ailing industries through discussions with the ministries and departments concerned, including the Ministry of Finance and the Bangladesh Bank,” said Azad, also the chief guest of the meeting.
Director-in-Charge of the committee Tahmin Ahmed said that a letter would be sent to the prime minister soon seeking help in rescuing the owners of the sick industries.
The meeting was also attended by committee co-chairmen Nasir Uddin A Ferdous, M Nazrul Islam, Sarkar Md Salauddin, AKM Khorshed Alam Khan and other members.
FBCCI Secretary-General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque was also present there.
