Dhaka:The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Undertakings has put forward recommendations aimed at reducing losses and reviving closed state-owned industrial enterprises. This initiative was discussed during the 9th meeting of the committee, which took place at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban under the leadership of Chairman and Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the committee reviewed the financial performance, profits, losses, and future development plans of enterprises under the Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation (BSEC), Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC), and Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC). The focus was on identifying the causes of financial losses and developing effective, institution-specific action plans to address them.
The committee underscored the importance of resolving ownership disputes and legal issues related to long-closed industrial units. It also emphasized the need to make proper use of unused land and assets, as well as assessing the feasibility of reopening these factories. In particular, for the BSFIC's closed sugar mills, the prospects of restarting operations, increasing sugarcane production, and encouraging farmers to cultivate more sugarcane were discussed. The goal is to enhance domestic sugar production and reduce reliance on imports.
The committee also evaluated the activities of 84 industrial estates under BSCIC, directing the corporation to identify the reasons behind the suspension or underperformance of production in some industrial plots. A detailed report on these issues is to be submitted in the next meeting. Additionally, discussions included expanding Pragati Industries Limited's operations and exploring domestic electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing through joint investments, aligning with the government's EV policy.
The committee called for specific proposals and a detailed presentation on these initiatives at the next meeting. It further recommended that the involved corporations take effective measures to address the challenges faced by closed and loss-making enterprises, enhance production capacity, explore joint investment opportunities, and ensure optimal use of state-owned resources.