The country's largest fertiliser factory, Ghorasal Polash Urea Fertilizer Factory, is expected to go into production by the end of 2023.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited (MHI) and China National Chemical Engineering No 7 Construction Co Ltd (CC-7) are jointly constructing the factory, which will have an annual production capacity of 9.24 lakh tonnes.
Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Industries Ministry is implanting the project at a cost of around Tk 15,500.21 crore.
Out of the total project cost, Tk 4,580.21 crore comes from the government exchequer while Tk 10,920 crore from Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFG Limited (MUFG) and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) as a commercial loan.
Talking to BSS, Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana said after the completion of the construction of the Ghorasal Polash Urea Fertilizer Factory, it will be the largest factory in the country's industrial sector.
"Through the implementation of the project, BCIC will get the opportunity to play a more significant role in the country's development. Moreover, the project will change the living standard of the local people. The project will create huge employment opportunities," she added.
She mentioned that the new factory will be a "modern, sophisticated, energy efficient and green" fertiliser factory in the country which will help the country reduce the import of urea fertiliser and save hard-earned foreign currency.
She mentioned that Bangladesh may not have to import urea fertiliser from 2025 as the government is conducting feasibility studies for two more fertiliser factories.
Project Director of the Ghorashal-Polash Urea Fertilizer Project Md Rajiour Rahman Mollick informed that the government has a plan to produce some 2,800 metric tons of granular urea a day in Ghorasal Polash Urea Fertilizer Factory, which is being constructed at the place of the existing two fertiliser factories - Urea Fertilizer Factory Limited (UFFL) and Polash Urea Fertilizer Factory Limited (PUFFL).
As per the government plan, he said, the production capacity per day will be about three times higher than that of the existing two fertiliser factories.
Explaining further the environmental issues, he said it is the first fertiliser factory in Bangladesh where the environmental pollutant Carbon-Di-Oxide (CO2) will be captured from the primary reformer flue gas and the production of urea fertiliser will be increased (about 10 per cent) by using the captured CO2.
Responding to a question, he said that as much as 80 per cent of the construction work of the project has been completed so far.
The new fertiliser factory will ensure the availability of urea fertiliser to the farmers at a lower cost and meet up the growing demand in the country and thereby ensuring food security of the country, he added.
