All the industrial units under the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) are passing through a very critical time as almost all of them have been shut down due to supply chain disruptions triggered by the coronavirus, officials said. A total of 76 BSCIC industrial estates in the country have remained closed due to coronavirus pandemic, they said.
The owners of this sector have invested almost Tk 27,689 crore across the country, but now the sector is on the brink of a great risk due to the ongoing country-wide lockdown, they said. Industries under BSCIC areas are mainly dependent on local market chain, they said adding that, but due to severe shortages of raw materials, marketing, manufacturing, supply chain management and export and import are seriously being hampered now.
If these industries remain shut down for a long time, it will be difficult for the industry owners to pay salaries and bonus to their workers and staffers ahead of holy Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr, they informed. Hence, Bangladesh BSCIC Industry Owners' Association hailing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for declaring taka 72,750 crore stimulus package to address coronavirus fallout, requested the government to waive utility bills of the small and cottage industries for the next 6 months.
The association also requested the government to allow industry owners to pay their electricity and gas bill of each month through three equal installments in the next six months. It also wanted waiver of fixed monthly charges of BSCIC industrial plots for the next one year. The association also requested the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to allow BSCIC industry owners to submit their income tax and VAT return of this fiscal through three equal adjustable installments by the next three years without penalty.
Moreover, it called for waiving interest of loan taken by the new industry installers and BMRE (Balancing, Modernization, Rehabilitation and Expansion) industrial units of BSCIC areas for the next 6 months. It also urged to give special tax and duty rebate to the importers of raw materials, capital machineries, and packaging appliances of BSCIC industrial areas.
The association also requested the government to take long-term and permanent measures for the industry workers' health safety under the national social safety net programme. Former Vice President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Hossain A Sikder said: “Small and cottage industries in all the BSCIC areas are contributing a lot to our economy. In order to keep momentum of economic growth, we have no alternative but to safeguard our small and cottage industries.”
“We hope the government will take necessary measures to protect local market, import-substitute manufacturing, export competitiveness, employment and backward linkage of small and cottage industry from the ongoing pandemic,” he said.
