MUNSHIGANJ, Sept 25, 2023 (BSS) - A plastic village being built on 100 acres of land at Sirajdikhan in the district is a very potential one for eco-friendly industrial boom as this export-oriented industry can contribute massively to the national economy.

According to Bangladesh Plastic Flakes Manufacturers and Export Association (BPFMEA), the country has around 5,500 large and small plastic factories with over 12,000 workers.

There is a target of earning around $210 million from this sector in the current year.

In a seminar of BPFMEA held at Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) in the capital recently, SAARC Chamber of Commerce President and Bengal Plastic factory owner Jasim Uddin said the industries ministry has already allotted this land but factory owners are reluctant to go there due to high price of land.

As a result, the government's initiative to shift the plastic factories from old part of Dhaka city is getting delayed.

Small and medium entrepreneurs cannot afford the price but those bought land should go there quickly, otherwise, their factories can be shut down by the authorities, he added.

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) carried out a survey on security issues in 5200 factories among 44,000 readymade garment (RMG) factories, he said.

According to survey findings, 106 factories were in high risk. Owners of these factories have been asked to ensure all-out safety measures including making safe infrastructures of the factories within specified time and if they fail to do so, their factories should be shut down, he said.

Jasim Uddin said all kinds of illegal chemical factories including plastic ones should be shifted immediately from old part of the capital as no license is being given to any chemical and plastic factories which were built up illegally.

If these illegal factories are not shifted to designated places, these can cause accident anytime, he added.

Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments Joint Inspector General Matiur Rahman said the country has around 14,000 small and large chemical and plastic industries, so safe work environment for workers should be ensured at these factories.

He stressed on increasing women workers at factories.
 
Presenting the keynote paper in the seminar, industrial economist Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem said plastic products are meeting around 90 percent local demand and export growth is around 17 percent.

He also noted this plastic industry sector has around 1.2 million workers.

International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Director Tuomo Poutiainen, officials of leading plastic industries Saiful Islam and AKM Iqbal Hossain also spoke.