Play store
CHATTOGRAM: The Bangladesh Army will establish a modern arms and military equipment factory at the site of the long-closed Jalil Textile Mills in Fouzdarhat, Sitakunda, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman said on Thursday.
The government formally handed over 54.99 acres of land under the Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation to the Bangladesh Army at a symbolic price for establishing the Bangladesh Ordnance Factory (BOF).
An agreement was signed between the government and the Bangladesh Ordnance Factories of the Bangladesh Army on the former mill premises as part of the land transfer process.
General Waker said the factory would help meet the country’s demand for arms and military equipment while creating opportunities to earn significant foreign exchange through exports.
“This is not only about meeting the country’s needs; the facility will also be developed as an export-oriented industry,” he said, adding that Bangladeshi arms have potential demand in international markets.
He said Bangladesh could earn substantial foreign currency from arms exports if bureaucratic complexities were removed.
The Army chief thanked Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and others involved in facilitating the land transfer.
Explaining the choice of Fouzdarhat for the project, General Waker said the site’s proximity to Chattogram Port would facilitate the production and transportation of modern and sophisticated military equipment.
He said the initiative would contribute to strengthening Bangladesh’s defence capabilities and strategic security, while giving a new purpose to a long-abandoned industrial facility.
Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir attended the programme as the chief guest.
He said rapid changes in defence technology had created growing demand for drones and other military equipment that are now available at comparatively lower costs.
The government would provide all necessary support for arms and defence exports, he said, adding that the initiative would help take Bangladesh’s defence industry to a new level.
Prime Minister’s Defence Adviser Brig Gen (retd) AKM Shamsul Islam and Quartermaster General of the Army Lieutenant General Mohammad Shaheenul Haque were also present.
After the signing ceremony, the minister and Army chief inspected the abandoned factory premises and planted trees there.
Jalil Textile Mills began operations in 1961 on around 55 acres of land and became a prominent manufacturer of yarn and fabrics. The mill played a significant role in Bangladesh’s textile industry for decades but later suffered mounting losses and operational difficulties.
Production was finally suspended in 2004, after which the premises remained abandoned for years.
The necessary procedures and formalities for transferring the land to the Army were completed before Thursday’s handover.
The transfer marks a new chapter for a site long associated with the history of Bangladesh’s textile industry.
