Industries Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Saturday said the government would establish more industrial park across the country to accelerate industrialisation and generate employment opportunities.
The minister made the remarks while visiting the BSCIC Food Processing Industrial Estate in Thakurgaon in the morning. He said a large industrial park is being developed in the district with the potential to create jobs for nearly 25,000 people.
Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said Thakurgaon already has an Export Processing Zone (EPZ), where industrial entrepreneurs are operating businesses. The newly planned BSCIC industrial estate will mainly focus on food processing industries. He added that several entrepreneurs have already expressed interest in acquiring plots to establish factories there.
“To eliminate unemployment, employment opportunities must be created. With that goal in mind, the government is expanding investment and setting up new industries,” the minister said.
The new Thakurgaon Industrial Park is being constructed on around 50 acres of land and will contain 251 plots. Various industrial establishments are expected to be built there, with some investors likely to acquire multiple plots for larger projects.
The minister said additional industrial estates would be established in the future if the project proves successful, enabling faster employment generation in different regions.
He further said the government’s key objective is to transform the population into skilled manpower by creating jobs and enhancing workforce capabilities. The development of the new industrial estate in Thakurgaon is part of that broader plan.
Highlighting future agricultural-industrial coordination, the minister said initiatives would be taken in collaboration with the Agriculture Ministry to cultivate new export-oriented crops in Thakurgaon. Special importance will be given to potato-based industries.
“Although Bangladesh produces large quantities of potatoes, there is still a shortage of export-quality varieties. We will focus on developing exportable potato varieties in the coming years,” he added.
Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rafiqul Haque, BSCIC entrepreneurs and local BNP leaders were present during the visit.
Later, the minister visited several factories at the old BSCIC industrial estate before leaving for Panchagarh.
