Industry and resources

Industry and resources
Industry: Tea, Sugar, Rice mill, ice factory, garments factory, oil mill, and Saw mill.

Banglabandha land port is located in about 10 acres (40,000 m2) of acquired land at the north-western tip of Bangladesh in Tetulia under Panchagarh district on the Bangladesh-India highway.The port is situated 60 km from Panchagarh Town. The place is of international character and used for Nepal transit traffic passing through a small corridor of India. It is about 22 meter away from the Bangladesh-Indian borderline.

The growing tea sector in Panchagarh has ushered in a new hope for further enhancing the standard of socio-economic life and women empowerment, they said. The female workers are yet to get their just wages from the garden-owners as the growing tea-farming sector in the region has been facing manifold problems including present unfair prices of the tea leaves for the tea farmers. Presently, over 7,000 skilled and unskilled workers, mostly women, have been working in 246 tea gardens, including 18 big estates, 13 medium-size and 215 small-scale gardens set up on more than 1,815 acres (7.35 km2) of land in Tetulia and its surrounding areas, they said. Of them nearly 2,300 workers, mostly women, are working alone at the giant Kazi and Kazi Tea Estate (KKTE) at Tetulia which has earned reputation in both national and international markets by producing, processing and marketing the famous and most popular Kazi & Kazi Organic Tea and earning foreign exchange.

Industry for manufacturing SPC electric poles, established a plant (Gemcon Ltd.) over a land of 35 Acres in Panchagarh District, here all the products in the plant are manufactured by using indigenous raw materials. The factory has created direct or indirect job opportunity for more than 1500 people and helping the nation in poverty alleviation.

Gem Jute Limited was established in Panchagarh in 2003, with the corporate vision is to improve the livelihood of the local population by providing employment and advancement opportunities, stimulate the local economy through direct and indirect economic activities. Gem Jute promotes sustainable development and support the environment by providing high-quality, organic, biodegradable products to the world market.Over 5000 people are working at Gem Jute Limited.

Under Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC), Panchagarh Sugar Mills Ltd. is the oldest industry of the district. Panchagarh Sugar Mills was set up by the Government in 1965-69 at a cost of Tk.55.55 million. It is near the district headquarters of Panchagarh and is the northernmost sugar mill in Bangladesh. Machinery and equipment of the sugar mill were supplied by M/S. Stork Werkspoor of Holland. The sugar mill started its trial production in 1969-70. Since independence of Bangladesh (until 2005), the sugar mill has produced 8,536 m. tons of Sugar per annum on average at an average sugar recovery rate of 8.10% from sugarcane.

Thakurgaon lime industry on dying trac

THAKURGAON, Oct 28: The lime industry in the district is on the verge of extinction due to non-availability of raw materials and shortage of capital. Lime is one of the ingredients of chewing betel nut which is extensively used in Bangladesh. Lime is made from shells of oysters and snails. Its making process is not very difficult but requires skill. First of all the dry shells of oysters and snails are burnt in special kilns for two to three hours. As a result, the shells become whitish and powdery. After this the powder is netted for extracting foreign materials. It is then mixed with water in earthen pots and stirred by bamboo stick for about 20 to 25 minutes. After this, lime becomes ready for use. For making the juice much white, seeded banana is mixed with the lime. Lime makers live in different villages of the district. A lime maker Ajit Roy of Kachna village under Raipur union in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila said after burning 50 kg of oyster and snail shells and by mixing water around 150 to 180  kg of lime is produced which is sold in the market at Tk 600 per maund. He further said, "Previously we purchased shells at Tk 60 per bag (50 kg a bag), but now-a-days the same is Tk 300. Besides, the availability of shells is decreasing. Moreover, we have no such capital that we can invest a considerable amount in the industry." The lime producers face difficulties while maintaining their families as they do not earn much. That is why many of them have switched to the professions. He further said that if the government and banks provide loans with small interests, the industry can be saved otherwise it will become extinct in the course of time.