By setting up a factory in an industrial plot in Kishoreganj BSIC, the entrepreneurs have fallen into suffering. After months and years of applying for gas and electricity connection, which is the main part of the production, but the connection is not met. Even if we get the connection at the end of the year, the supply is not matching the demand. Where fuel cost is supposed to be 5 thousand taka, due to lack of gas connection, the cost is 20 thousand taka. Due to lack of supply as per demand, the entrepreneurs are suffering losses due to disruption of production. Many are going out of business due to losses.
It is known that the BSIC authorities are failing to provide the service prescribed by the government despite charging a service charge of two taka fifty paisa per square feet per year. The drains in front of every factory have to be cleaned by the factory owners. Moreover, the entrepreneurs have to suffer from broken roads and insecurity. Even some responsible officials of Kishoreganj BSIC have admitted the various problems and poor condition of this industrial city.
The concerned industrial entrepreneurs said that gas, electricity, water, drainage problems and the tendency to take complications and extortion in obtaining permission from various government departments while starting industrial establishments are one of the obstacles in the investment of new industrial entrepreneurs. Money is the only way to solve the problem. Each of us entrepreneurs is like a 'chicken'. We can't do any work without hesitation, sometimes we are forced to do the work quickly but we don't get service. If this continues, the domestic production sector will be destroyed one day. No new investment will come.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament of Kishoreganj-4 Constituency Rezwan Ahammed Taufiq said in the opening ceremony of the trade fair last Monday (October 3) that nothing but bread biscuits are produced in BSIC Industrial area. Does it happen or not? Why can't heavy industry here? Why can't we employ thousands of Kishoreganj people? There is no time to be behind. This time we have to be like flow river, then Kishoreganj will develop further, he said.
It is known that although Kishoreganj BSIC was established in 1987 by the government initiative, it has not yet been fully formed. BSIC Industrial Area established on about 15 acres of land in Maria area of Kishoreganj Sadar Upazila has 150 plots. Out of the total 67 industrial units allocated, only 33 units are in production. 34 units are yet to go into production. There are 7 units that are closed or decommissioned. Apart from this, the case under appeal by the promoters of the canceled 10 plots is ongoing.
According to sources, genuine entrepreneurs are being deprived as most of the plots are in the hands of non-businessmen. In the land allocation committee meeting, the unproductive plots were canceled but they got the plots back because of invisible forces. Even the land allocation committee does not have a representative of the gas and electricity department. There is no one stop service.
Bisik Shilpanagari Malik Somittee President Azmal Khan said that there is no lack of industrial entrepreneurs in Kishoreganj, what is lacking is the environment. We are facing many kinds of problems in the industrial area of BSIC. Here the cost of production is high due to the complexity of gas connection. Suffers from drainage problems and lack of waste management.
Kishoreganj Chamber of Commerce & Industries President Md. Mujibur Rahman Belal said that the BSIC authorities do not want industrial establishments to be established in the BSIC industrial area, they want to demand it.
What can we do if we don't co-operate? We have nothing to do.
Kishoreganj BSIC Assistant General Manager Sheikh Md. Sohrab Uddin said, BSIC has been planned for the development of industrial area. The problem of gas, water, electricity, drainage management has been highlighted in this plan.
Kishoreganj BSIC Industrial Officer S. M. Aslam Kabir said, I raised the problem of gas and electricity in the land allocation committee meeting. I have informed the higher authorities about these matters.
