The government has decided to develop Bogura as the country's prime 'light engineering hub' and an agro-based industrial.

The achieve this goal, work will begin this winter to establish a new BSCIC industrial park on some 400 acres of land in this district.

Ministers and state ministers announced the plans at the induction ceremony of the newly elected board of directors of Bogura Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a hotel here today Bogura chamber President M.S.M. Atikur Rahman Badal in the chair.

In his inaugural speech, Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam said a decision to develop Bogura as a light engineering hub was recently taken at a high-level meeting with the country's leading private-sector industrial entrepreneurs at the Prime Minister's Office.

The government is moving ahead with a coordinated plan to attract substantial foreign investment alongside domestic investment to implement the initiative, he said.

Calling for Bogura's development to be viewed not merely from a political or regional perspective but as part of national prosperity, the state minister said that despite having faced neglect and discrimination in the past, the enterprising people of the region had set remarkable examples in industry and commerce through their own efforts.

Referring to Bogura as the birthplace of nationalist politics, he highlighted the politics of discrimination-free development pursued by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and Tarique Rahman's political vision of harnessing the potential of different regions.

He assured the audience that the long-standing legitimate demands of Bogura would be implemented very soon.

The minister said the infrastructure sector in Bogura was being re-organized not on the basis of area-specific priorities but to make the national economy more dynamic.

As part of the initiative, a new "Road Zone" is being established in Bogura by bringing together five districts under the jurisdiction of the Roads and Highways Department, he added.

Commerce, Industries and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir joined the programme as the chief guest and said the existing BSCIC industrial estate had reached full capacity, prompting the government to establish a new 400-acre BSCIC industrial park to support the entrepreneurs by reducing the double-digit interest rate.

Under the credit wholesaling scheme, small and medium entrepreneurs in the new industrial park will be able to obtain loans at an interest rate of only 6 to 7 percent, he said, adding that work is also underway at the policy-making level to ensure uninterrupted supplies of gas and electricity to the industrial units.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives State Minister Mir Shahe Alam, speaking as a special guest, said the foundation stone for the long-awaited double-gauge railway line from Sirajganj to Bogura would be laid by November-December to facilitate the business connectivity.

A container depot will also be constructed at Bogura Railway Station, which will be directly connected to the ports of Chattogram and Mongla, he said.

He further said domestic flights would be introduced from January as part of efforts to upgrade Bogura Airport to international standards. The first "drone factory" in the country would also begin operations under the supervision of the Air Force, he added.

The state minister also said a Taka1100-crore project to restore navigability to the Karatoya River, a multi-purpose "Sports Village," and various activities of the newly formed Bogura City Corporation and the development authority were progressing fast.

Among others, local parliament members Golam Mohammad Siraj, Md Abdul Matin Talukder, Suraiya Jerin Rony, Md Rezaul Karim Badsha, Md Mosharraf Hossain and Morshed Milton, were present at the function as special guests.

Bogura City Corporation Administrator M R Islam Swadhin, District Council Administrator AKM Ahsanul Tayyab Zakir, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Toufiqur Rahman, Superintendent of Police (SP) Morjina Sayem Mahmud and TSSM Founder and Executive Director Prof. Dr Hossne-Ara Begum also spoke at the event.

In the concluding remarks, the newly elected chamber directors vowed to discharge their responsibilities and uphold their oath in letter and spirit while preserving the business community's confidence in it.