Bangladesh government has announced plans to lease out six state-owned jute mills by December this year, aiming to bring idle industrial assets back into operation, attract new investment, and generate employment across the sector.
Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir shared the update with reporters following an emergency stakeholder meeting held at his office in Dhaka. The meeting focused on reviewing the current status of shuttered mills, evaluating investment potential, and accelerating the process of reopening remaining units.
According to the minister, each of the six mills is expected to generate more than 1,000 jobs, with projected investments ranging between Tk 200 crore and Tk 500 crore per unit. He noted that mills already leased to private operators have shown promising results, drawing substantial capital and creating employment opportunities.
“Our objective is to gradually bring all mills under the ministry back into productive use—some through traditional jute-based manufacturing, while others may diversify into alternative industrial activities,” Muktadir said. He added that the initiative is expected to strengthen export earnings and reduce reliance on imports.
State Minister Shariful Alam emphasized that the government is taking a proactive approach based on field-level evaluations. “We are conducting inspections and making timely decisions to ensure these mills become economically viable once again,” he said.
The mills fall under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), which suspended operations at 25 mills in 2020. Of these, 20 were earmarked for leasing to private investors. So far, 14 mills have been handed over, with nine already resuming production and generating approximately 9,500 jobs, according to officials.
The meeting was also attended by Ashik Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Textiles and Jute and representatives from the investor community.
