Dhaka:The government of Bangladesh has announced plans to set up three new fertiliser factories to enhance the country's domestic fertiliser production capacity. This initiative aims to reduce the dependency on imports, strengthen the supply to the agriculture sector, and create new employment opportunities.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will implement the plan, which includes the construction of a urea fertiliser factory in Bhola with a daily production capacity of 1,700 metric tonnes, a triple superphosphate (TSP) fertiliser factory in Chattogram with an annual production capacity of 400,000 metric tonnes, and a urea formaldehyde-85 (UF-85) factory in Palash of Narsingdi with an annual production capacity of 24,000 metric tonnes.
BCIC has set a target to increase fertiliser production to 2.7 million metric tonnes within the next three to five years. As of the 2025-26 fiscal year, Bangladesh's demand for urea fertiliser was 2.6 million metric tonnes, while the demand for TSP and diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilisers stood at 750,000 metric tonnes and 1.485 million metric tonnes, respectively. The current production at BCIC factories covers a small fraction of the total demand, necessitating substantial imports.
The proposed urea fertiliser factory in Bhola is expected to require 45 to 50 million cubic feet of gas per day for production. BCIC Chairman Md Babul Mia emphasized the importance of increasing domestic production capacity to meet the country's fertiliser needs and highlighted the need for adequate gas supply and other resources to implement these projects.
The new TSP fertiliser factory in Chattogram aims to address production disruptions caused by raw material shortages and plant issues at the existing TSP Complex. Meanwhile, the UF-85 factory in Palash will utilize unused industrial land, creating opportunities to expand production capacity in the industrial sector.
These projects hold the potential to generate employment opportunities during both the construction phase and after production commences. The establishment of these factories could stimulate local economic activities and contribute to the development of skilled manpower in the industrial sector, according to BCIC Chairman Md Babul Mia.