DHAKA: An initiative to set up a garment industrial park at Baushia of Gazaria in Munshiganj district did not see the light in last eight years.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu however informed that a guideline could be available on Wednesday.

“Now the matter is not with the Industries Ministry... Prime Minister’s Office looks after it,” he said.

Amu informed that a meeting on the matter with the Prime Minister is likely on May 7.

“The meeting will decide how and under whose supervision the garment industrial park project will be implemented,” said the minister.

Official sources said a step was taken in 2006 to set up the garments park outside Dhaka following unplanned mushrooming of garment factories in the capital.

Baushia was selected as site for the park following visit of BGMEA and BSCIC representatives.

A project was proposed by the Industries Ministry to set up the garments park on 300 acres of land with a cost of Tk 360 crore.

The government was to finance the project.

The project tenure was determined from January 2008 to December 2010.

The BGMEA and BSCIC also signed a memorandum of understanding on January 22, 2008.

According to the MOU, the BSCIC will implement the project following allocation from the annual development program.

A concerned source at the Industries Ministry informed that the Munshiganj district administration already acquired 492 acres of land.

The administration sought Tk 788 crore from BGMEA as compensation for the land owners.

When asked, BGMEA President Atiqul Islam told banglanews that they want to shift the factories from the capital.

“We want all infrastructural facilities, including gas and power supply, for the shift,” he said.

With buyers are persuading for safety and security of the garment factories following the Rana Plaza tragedy, industry insiders said, such a industrial park is very crucial to keep the export market.

According Industries Secretary Mainuddin Abdullah, a decision is yet to be taken that under which ministry the garment industrial park project will be implemented.

“It is also not clear whether the garment industry park will be established under PPP or ADP,” said the Secretary.

With the assessment for the project took place last year, a Chinese company showed interest to the BGMEA for investment in the project.

“We want to involve the Chinese investors. We hope that the project will be implemented properly,” said BGMEA President Atiqul Islam.

BDST: 1158 HRS, MAY 06, 2014