Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan said on Saturday that sugar imports have been put on hold until the sugar stored in local mills is sold out.
Adilur said the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh has already started selling sugar and the initiative will continue to help stabilise market supply.
He said sustaining the sugar industry requires regular and effective investment rather than relying solely on subsidies and that such investment may come from domestic or foreign sources or a combination of both.
He said this while speaking to journalists after inspecting the Uttara Gonobhaban in Natore.
He added profits from sugar mills do not come quickly and mills dating back to the British era still meet part of the country’s limited demand, which makes expanding their capacity a priority.
He said no industry can remain viable in the long run through subsidies alone.
Natore Deputy Commissioner Asma Shahin, Natore Superintendent of Police Muhammad Abdul Wahab and officials from various administrative levels were present.
