Chittagong Chemical Complex

The factory was producing basic chemicals like caustic soda, chlorine, hydrochloric acid, bleaching powder and calcium hypo. The products were import substitutes and could play a vital role in market price control.

With its closure, 500 people lost jobs. A few hundred people lost business. The factory had no bank liability except the liability of OECF loan. The unit used to pay around Tk 4.5 to 5 crore to the government exchequer as duties, taxes and VAT.

Still today I could not find out a single cause for shutting down this factory. The products of this unit are not available and that's causing unstable market price. Employment generation and contribution of industrial products to GDP are the primary responsibility of any democratic government. The unit can be restarted with little investment without further delay. This will relieve the burden of a loan of Tk. 120 crore on the poor people of the country. Further delay will turn the factory to scraps.

The factory was closed during the tenure of Mr. M. K. Anwar and the present industries minister did not, as far as I know, take any initiative to restart the factory or hand it over to private entrepreneurs.

Will the government clarify the position?