Khulna BSCIC fails to emerge as viable industrial hub

Banglapress Published: 23 September 2025, 10:26 AM

Khulna BSCIC fails to emerge as viable industrial hub

Bangla Press Desk: The Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) Industrial City in Khulna continues to face persistent challenges nearly five decades after its inception, failing to live up to its vision of becoming a thriving industrial zone. Despite the allocation of plots and initial enthusiasm, a large number of factories have shut down due to lack of facilities, discouraging new entrepreneurs and deterring significant investments. Industrialists and factory owners allege that the Khulna BSCIC suffers from poor infrastructure and a non-conducive business environment. They complain of a lack of proper oversight, which has forced many to either scale down operations or shut down altogether. Currently, many industrial units remain inactive or are operating at minimal capacity. Md Khairul Islam, an officer of BSCIC Industrial City in Khulna, stated that the industrial city was established to foster small businesses in the region. The project was approved on 8 March 1965 and completed in September 1978 at a cost of Tk53.71 lakh. It spans 44 acres in the Shiromoni area of Shyamganj Mouza under Khanjahan Ali Police Station, approximately 15 kilometres north of Khulna city.

According to BSCIC officials, 240 of the 244 available plots have been allotted. Of these, 84 plots have seen the initiation of industrial setups, and currently, 66 factories are operational. Several more are preparing to begin production. Among the operational units, 19 are food-processing factories, 4 are jute-related, 6 are forestry-based, 34 are chemical industries, 5 specialise in printing and packaging, and 12 are engineering firms. The rest include businesses in electronics, leather goods, textiles, and ceramics. Together, these industries employ around 5,000 workers and contribute approximately Tk 500 crore annually in revenue. However, Khulna BSCIC is grappling with serious issues. Nine industrial companies have been officially classified as "sick"—a term used for non-operational or severely underperforming entities. Most of these companies are bank loan defaulters. The struggling firms include Mohasin Textile Mills, Sohana Industries Ltd., Madhumoti Coke and Briquette, Zaman Associates, AR Flowers Mills, Work Leather, Aqua Resources, Khulna Paper Board and Packaging, and M/S Global Enterprise. A recent visit to the area revealed poor infrastructure and basic service deficiencies. Roads remain mostly unpaved, and there is a lack of proper water, drainage, and sewage management. Residents also complain that the absence of streetlights creates a desolate and unsafe environment after dark. Established in 1957 through a parliamentary act, BSCIC is the country’s key government agency for the development of small and cottage industries. It has played a significant role in creating industrial entrepreneurs, employment generation, and regional economic balance. Despite this, the Khulna BSCIC zone remains underdeveloped.

Sheikh Ashraf-uz-Zaman, president of the Greater Khulna Development Action Coordination Committee (GKDACC), said the industrial zone has failed to attract major factories due to chronic mismanagement. “While other parts of the country are progressing in industrialisation, Khulna BSCIC continues to lag. Even with improved national connectivity—thanks to the Padma Bridge—and no major power issues, the industrial city remains in a sorry state,” he said. He urged the interim government’s industrial adviser to take immediate and effective action to revive the area. Meanwhile, environmental concerns are growing. Mahfuzur Rahman Mukul, Khulna divisional coordinator of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), alleged that several factories in the Shiromoni-BSCIC Industrial Park are operating in violation of environmental laws. He stated that untreated industrial waste is being discharged into local ponds, canals, and water bodies, polluting the environment, generating foul odours, and causing the death of aquatic life, including fish. This article was originally published on Daily Sun.

[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]

Khulna BSCIC fails to emerge as viable industrial hub

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