Bashundhara Group Chairman Announces Creation of 3 Lakh New Jobs

Bashundhara Group, the leading business group in the country will establish 3,00,000 new jobs in a single industry at Mirsarai in Chattogram to address the country's unemployment problem.

Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan made the announcement at the launching ceremony of the Bashundhara Bitumen Plant in Keraniganj on Saturday in response to a request from Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.

“I have a discussion with the finance minister about setting up of an industry where 3,00,000 jobs will be created. I’ve assured him that he will inaugurate the industry,” the Bashundhara Group Chairman said.

Bashundhara Group is working not only for its own growth but also for the development of the people of the country, he added, adding that the group has 30 factories and two large housing projects.

Addressing the event as the chief guest earlier, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said he requested the approval of the chairman of the Bashundhara Group to set up a large industry at Mirsarai, and Ahmed Akbar Sobhan.

The declaration comes at a time when the country is about to mark next month's birth centenary of the Bangabandhu Country Father Sheik Mujibur Rahman.

“Millions of people sacrificed their lives for the liberty and I think their sacrifice has not gone in vain as Bangladesh is now a familiar name in the world,” Kamal said, adding that the private sector has played a key role in advancing the country. 

Recalling Bangabandhu's contribution he said the nation's father wanted to give people economic emancipation.

The country has a huge challenge in creating jobs, cutting poverty, and helping marginalized people align with the commitment of Bangabandhu, he said.

He added that her daughter Prime Minister Sheik Hasina is now trying to fulfill that promise to offering entrepreneurs and industrialists the opportunity to invest.

“The key person behind all of our country’s success is Bangabandhu. Had he been alive, the country would have made progress even 25 years ago,” Ahmed Akbar Sobhan said.  

“Even though once upon a time Bangladesh had been tagged as a bottomless basket, the whole world is now looking at Bangladesh,” he added.

“The Prime Minister always encourages us. Bangladeshis are returning home from abroad because a congenial business atmosphere prevails in the country,” he pointed out.

The country's leading businessman, in particular, thanked Prime Minister Sheik Hasina for being able to put a stop to divisive politics and ensuring political stability in the world that is conducive to industry.

Bashundhara Bitumen factory is the first ever bitumen-producing project in the private sector in the world that will be able to cater for both local and export needs.

The finance minister said Bashundhara Bitumen will supply suitable bitumen for the country. Getting suitable bitumen for the country was a big problem earlier.

“Even the PM regretted that when our roads will be like those in abroad,” he said, adding that roads get damaged after inundation due to wrong graded bitumen.

He noted that Bangabandhu’s Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) is a philosophy where there will be no deprivation and people find new life.

In response to a call for removal of tolls on the capital's Postogola bridge, Kamal said he would negotiate it with the PM and seek to simplify or remove the toll system to reduce traffic gridlock on the bridge.

At the inaugural function of the country's first-ever private sector Bashundhara Bitumen Plant, State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid said the country is making rapid progress with a contribution from public-private partnership.

“Private sector has contributed 8710MW of electricity, excluding captive power,” Nasrul Hamid said.

He called upon the Bashundhara Group to invest in higher education at Keraniganj.

The state minister said the country’s leading business conglomerate contribute a lot for manpower generation in the country.

“Now, the talented local people return to the country as they are getting their required jobs here…Bashundhara Group has contributed a lot to the creation of employment in the country,” he said.