Bangladesh : Closed sugar mills to be reopened soon
Bangladesh’s Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun has assured that no sugar mills have been permanently shut down, stating all will reopen after modernization. At Darshana Carew & Company Sugar Mill, he emphasized government efforts to support farmers and industrial development. Currently, Bangladesh produces only 80,000 MT of its 1.8 million MT annual sugar demand.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun said that no sugar mills of the country have been closed down permanently and all factories will be reopened soon.
The minister informed this while inaugurating a programme of sugarcane threshing season at Darshana Carew & Company Sugar Mill in Damurhuda Upazila of Chuadanga on Friday.
“The factory has been temporarily shut down for modernisation of the sugar mill,” the minister said.
He also said that the government gives maximum amenities in the production of agricultural products to meet the demands of the farmers.
The industries minister said that there is no alternative to industry to take a nation forward on the path of advanced prosperity.
The Ministry of Industries is working relentlessly to build an industrialised developed country by increasing efficiency and dynamism in the public and private sectors, he added.
According to the data of the Sugar and Food Industries Corporation, the demand for sugar in Bangladesh at present is more or less 1.8 million metric tonnes per year and out of this, the production from sugar mills under the Corporation’s tent is only about 80,000 metric tonnes.
The remaining 1.72 million metric tonnes are imported from abroad through private companies, he said.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, State Minister for Industries Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana, Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation Chairman Arifur Rahman, Chuadanga-2 MP Haji Md Ali Asgar Togor, were all present on the occasion.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said that the government wants to do something about Carew & Company.
Besides sugar, there is demand for other products produced here. So the government has a plan to set up second unit to increase capacity of Carew, he added.
State Minister for Industries Kamal Ahmed Majumder said that necessary steps have to be taken to make the sugar mills profitable by holding an exchange meeting with the trade union leaders and stakeholders. It is not right for the union leaders to interfere in transfer, recruitment or administrative work.
Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana said that the government is trying to invent high yielding varieties of sugarcane. Companion crop with sugarcane have to be harvested. If necessary, refined sugar will be purchased and closed mills will be started.
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Source : Daily Sun
