Deshbandhu plans Tk 10,000cr new investment

Deshbandhu Group will invest a total of Tk 10,000 crore in setting up factories, PSF and PET industries, steel mills, consumer goods, electric vehicles assembly plant, eco brix industry, lithium ion battery plant. The new investment will increase about 15,000 jobs while the current total workforce is around 25,000 in the company and with new investment it will increase to 40,000.

Sources said, one of the groups organizations is Deshbandhu Sugar Mills, Deshbandhu Beverages, Deshbandhu Polymer, Deshbandhu Consumer, Deshbandhu Packaging, Deshbandhu Cement Mills, Diagnostic Center and Deshbandhu Textile Mills, along with the development and production of several other companies, besides establishing a new sugar factory, Western Footwear Industry, FIBC.

The authorities said that in addition to meeting the current sugar demand of the country, tenders have been collected for setting up a new European standard 1500- tonne capacity alongside the current mills for the purpose of export. With an investment of Tk 1500 crore, relentless work is going on to implement it by 2026.

As part of expansion of Deshbandhu Groups business scope in 2023, through new investment of Tk 500 crore, infrastructure construction has already been completed to produce 100 per cent exportable FIBC bags and production will start in June 2024 with fully European standard automated machinery, which will create new employment for 2000 local people. Western Footwear Industry has been set up in Taltali under Palash Police Station of Narsingdi with an investment of about Tk 500 crore and the production is going on in full swing.

Another 500- tonne capacity crude oil refinery in Malita of Rasingdi is under implementation and a production plan is under implementation. Tk 2500 crore project has been undertaken for Deshbandhu Steel Re-Rolling Mills, Consumer Goods, Electric Vehicles Assembly Plant, Eco Brix Industry, Lithium Ion Battery Plant covering an area of about 50 acres in Hatikumrul, Sirajganj; Which will create employment for about 5000 more people if production starts in full swing within 2028.

Other projects under implementation by the group include Power Pack Economic Zone next to Mongla port, technical partners Camtax Shanghai (China) Engineering Company Limited and China National Chemical Engineering Company Limited (C&CEC) as part of the project to set up PSF & PET Industries on 33 acres in Mongla.) executed a US$500 million investment agreement with Employment opportunity of about 2000 people will be created here.

Apart from this, the group has plans to establish 64 medical centers in the country in addition to Development of Private Economic Zone (PPP), Deshbandhu Pharmaceuticals, Solar Panel Manufacturing Plant, Animal Feed Industry as part of the plan to increase other business opportunities.

At the same time keeping the wheels of the countrys dynamic economy moving, in addition to increasing the production capacity of the existing industries, the management of the company continued to set up new industries. By doing this, the authorities hope that the Deshbandhu Group will advance further in the local and international markets in the production and export of high-quality products along with the creation of employment and a large contribution to the private sector.

Recently, after visiting some industrial establishments of Deshbandhu Group and talking to the concerned officials, it is known that a huge action is going on in all the factories located in Charsindur Palash industrial area of Narsingdi. At this time, the journalists observed the production activities of the factory, the exchange of views between the officials and the employees and the overall environment.

Engineer ABM Arshad Hossain, resident director of Palash area of the company, said that every country in the world, including Bangladesh, is affected by Covi-19. In this reality, the company is working to serve the country and the people of the country by continuing the internal production.

He said, not only for business profit, but to support the people of the country, they are producing various food products including sugar, consumer food and beverages. Deshbandhu Group continues the process of production and supply of all types of products not only domestic but also exported. Deshbandhu Sugar Mills is old and one of the traditional sugar mills of the country.

Deshbandhu Mineral Water manufactured by Deshbandhu Food and Beverages has created huge demand across the country. As a result, Deshbandhu Beverage has invested more than 500 crore taka in overall development including the new section of the factory. The factory is equipped with advanced technology Italian machineries. The production has increased and almost doubled. At present Deshbandhu Beverages market share is around 15 per cent in the domestic market. Deshbandhu Food and Beverage will capture 25 per cent of the beverage market by next year.

In this context, Senior GM of Deshbandhu Group Mohammad Arif Hossain said, "We import all the raw materials used in making refined sugar and beverages from Australia, Italy and Brazil from different countries of the world. The products manufactured by Deshbandhu Beverages at its own factory include Deshbandhu Mineral Water, Deshbandhu Cola, Friends Up, Deshbandhu Lychee, Deshbandhu Jeera, Deshbandhu Orange, Deshbandhu Mango Juice, Guru and Neon in a total of 18 flavors. "

Golam Mostafa, Chairman of Deshbandhu Group, said, from a once bottomless basket to now middle-income Bangladesh; which has been done by the hands of various industries and entrepreneurs of the country. Deshbandhu group is trying to do something for the country and people. Deshbandhu Groups investment has currently created employment for 25,000 people. Attempts are being made to invest more extensively in new areas. If everything goes well, employment will exceed 40,000 in 2028.

Regarding the loans of the commercial banks of Bangladesh, Golam Mostafa said, due to the weak infrastructure and the slowness of the service sector, the factories started commercial production by taking extra interest loans from the commercial banks of Bangladesh, earning from it, and returning it to the bank became a time-consuming matter. Payback becomes difficult in the short term.