BSCIC in crisis with idle plots

Vacant plots of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation at prime locations in 23 districts fail to attract entrepreneurs and the corporation is yet to ascertain the reasons behind such a gesture of the investors.

The corporation on July 28 sought applications for allotment of 694 vacant plots in industrial cities across 23 districts, but only 113 entrepreneurs had responded to the call for 164 plots within the deadline, which ended on September 11.

BSCIC Chairman Md Mahbubor Rahman was not sure what was behind the lukewarm response from the investors. “We don’t have any research on why they are not interested in the vacant BSCIC plots.”

Small entrepreneurs, who already have industrial units in BSCIC industrial estates and cities, also have commotion about the corporation’s service. A 2021-22 internal study of the BSCIC published in June found almost one-fifth of the entrepreneurs are unhappy with the corporation’s service.

They said most of the estates lack gas connection, water supply, uninterrupted power supply and security measures. Eighty per cent of the respondents had also reservations about the security measures of the estates and cities.

Mahbubor believed that people in areas where BSCIC plots remain vacant have other options. He cited the Sylhet region where people are much interested to settle abroad, particularly in the UK, and entrepreneurs from other areas cannot invest in the estates in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The highest number of vacant plots, 286, is in Rajshahi industrial estate-2. Only 28 entrepreneurs have shown their interest in 36 plots there.

The estate’s acting deputy general manager Zafar Bayezid said most of the entrepreneurs thought that the price of the plots was high

Gopalgonj industrial estate (extension) has 130 vacant plots and only 9 entrepreneurs have shown interest in only 21 plots.

Not a single entrepreneur showed interest to 76 six plots vacant in Moulvibazar, 8 plots in Sunamganj and 5 plots in Pabna industrial estate.

In Chuadanga estate, 47 plots remain vacant, 36 plots in Madaripur (extension), 33 plots in Khagrachari, 24 plots in Barguna, and 17 plots in the Barishal estate remain vacant.

Md Billal Hossain Bhuiya, deputy manager of BSCIC Industrial Estate in Sreemangal of Moulvibazar, said out of 122 plots at the estate, they could allocate only 40 plots.

Engineer ANM Mujibur Rauf, deputy general manager (acting) for industrial city and coordination at the BSCIC, thinks the present price of land might be a reason behind the entrepreneurs’ reluctance to the plots. “Earlier, there were many kinds of subsidies for entrepreneurs. But, now the cost for plots is estimated based on the total project cost that raises the price for a plot,” he said.

Besides, the global economic downtrend is also hitting small and medium entrepreneurs and they are not eager to take any risk considering the situation, he added.

BSCIC data shows, there are a total of 11,922 plots in 79 industrial cities across the country. Of them, 10,678 plots have so far been allocated.

There are 4,800 industrial units in operation, 712 under construction, and 559 sick units among them.