Industries minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun on Friday said that none of sugar mills in Bangladesh had been permanently shuttered, and all factories would be reopened soon.
The minister said this at an inauguration program of sugarcane threshing season at Darshana Keru and Company Sugar Mills in Damurhuda Upazila of Chuadanga.
‘No sugar mills has been closed down permanently. The factory has been temporarily shut down for modernisation of the sugar mills,’ the minister said.
He also said that the government gave maximum amenities in the production of agricultural products. ‘The demands of the farmers will be met.’
Commerce minister Tipu Munshi, state minister for industries Kamal Ahmed Mojumder, industries secretary Zakia Sultana, Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation chairman Arifur Rahman Apu, Chuadanga-2 MP Haji Md Ali Azgar Togor, were present on the occasion, among others.
Regarding the rising prices of commodities, commerce minister Tipu Munshi said that if the prices of essential commodities go up in the international market, the domestic market tends to follow suit. However, TCB activities will be commenced at the upazila level to keep the prices tolerable, he added. Hopefully, 400-500 TCB trucks will be added in the next 3 months.
Managing director of sugar mills Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain presided over the function.
He said all preparations of the sugar mills have been completed to start the threshing for this season. However, sugarcane cultivation has decreased, leading the production target down to half this year, he said.
Meanwhile, the government shut down six sugar mills, out of 15 state-owned sugar mills, last year due to continued losses.
