Govt plans to reopen closed mills through local, foreign investment: Shariful
State Minister for Textiles and Jute, Md Shariful Alam, said on Monday that the government is actively pursuing initiatives to expedite the reopening of long-closed jute mills by engaging both domestic and foreign investors.
During a courtesy meeting with PRAN-RFL Group Chairman Ahsan Khan Chowdhury at the ministry, Shariful Alam said the ministry is preparing international tenders to attract overseas investment, alongside efforts to mobilise local capital. "In the future, the government wants to reopen closed mills through domestic and foreign investors," he stated.
The State Minister emphasised the urgent need to utilise idle industrial land to boost production and create employment opportunities. "Those who have taken mill leases so far have a lot of land lying idle, and we need to increase production and employment by investing more in unused land. This will strengthen the manufacturing sector in the country, which will be helpful for the economy," he said.
Shariful Alam also called on the private sector to step forward with investments to accelerate growth in Bangladesh's manufacturing base, noting that revitalising the jute industry remains a priority for economic diversification and sustainable development.
In response, PRAN-RFL Group Chairman Ahsan Khan Chowdhury thanked the government for its proactive approach to developing the jute sector.
He expressed strong support for the transparent tender process aimed at reopening dormant mills and highlighted his group's commitment to contributing to the industry's revival.
The activities of 25 jute mills under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) were suspended in 2020 due to financial losses and operational challenges. Subsequently, the government initiated a leasing programme for 20 of these facilities. To date, 14 mills have been leased, with nine already resumed production, collectively manufacturing approximately 100 tonnes of jute products daily.
Notably, two of the currently operational mills are now being managed by the PRAN-RFL Group.