Dhaka: Land Adviser Ali Imam Majumdar announced today that despite rising salt production costs, labor, and transportation expenses, the lease price for salt fields will not be increased. This decision aims to support the tens of thousands involved in the salt sector throughout Cox’s Bazar, Maheshkhali, Kutubdia, Chattogram, and Satkhira.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the land adviser highlighted the sector’s critical role in providing employment, particularly in rural areas. He emphasized that maintaining current lease prices would help ensure production continuity, stabilize market supply, and maintain price stability.
Ali Imam Majumdar addressed concerns about lease process complications, middlemen influence, and inadequate field-level monitoring, suggesting that these issues could prevent farmers from reaping expected benefits. He proposed expanding salt production areas to meet growing national demand, citing opportunities in Bhashanchar, Banshkhali, and Cox’s Bazar.
He also pointed out the industry’s seasonal nature, with production starting in November and halting during the monsoon. Majumdar stressed the importance of achieving self-sufficiency in salt production, warning against arbitrary increases in salami prices for privately owned salt field leases, which could result in increased development taxes.
Currently, salt is cultivated on 69,198 acres involving 42,000 farmers, with 12 salt centers and 230 mills refining the product. For fiscal year 2024-2025, the demand for refined and unrefined salt stands at 21.67 lakh and 26.10 lakh metric tonnes, respectively, with production costs at Taka 8.29 per kg.
The meeting, chaired by Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Land ASM Saleh Ahmed, included BSCIC Chairman Md Saiful Islam, ministry representatives, and regional officials from Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar.