Bashundhara builds Bangladesh’s biggest bitumen plant
Bashundhara Group has create the country's biggest bitumen plant in Keraniganj with an gross annual production capacity of a whopping 9 lakh tonnes for $143.7 million, in a development that can be viewed as emblematic of the business enterprise giant's ambitions.
Bitumen is a hydrocarbon-based substance used to build roads and highways. Currently, 90 per cent of Bangladesh's twelve-monthly demand for 5 lakh tonne of bitumen is met by imports.
"Now, we don't need to import bitumen. Bashundhara can export the surplus after fulfilling domestic demand," said Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal yesterday at the inauguration of the plant situated on 65 acres in Pangaon area of Keraniganj.
The prospects for the plant, which is a subsidiary of Bashundhara Coal and oil Company, are bright given Bangladesh's development goals.
With major construction and repairs of 22,000 kilometres of roads and highways beneath the Roads and Highways Department ongoing, local demand for the material is increasing.
Besides, of the 354,000kms of undeveloped roads beneath the MUNICIPALITY Engineering Department (LGED), 105,000kms have been completely upgraded to paved streets.
Moreover, the federal government is expanding all national highways from 4-6 lanes. This includes district level roads, that the consumption of bitumen has increased about 10 to 15 per cent annually.
With the typical requirements set by engineers given utmost priority, the premium quality Bashundhara bitumen product has penetration values of 60/70 and 80/100 and will come in various grades: cut back, emulsified, oxidised and polymer modified.
Other than meeting the local demand, Bashundhara plans to penetrate the international market for bitumen products by 2021.
The bitumen plant will provide a product that is better fitted to the construction of roads and highways, according to the finance minister.
"The length of roads inside our country is short. The roads are damaged during rainy seasons as imported bitumen does not suit the elements. Now, Bashundhara Group will process bitumen that suits local weather conditions," Kamal added.
The new factory will directly benefit thousands by creating jobs, said Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources.
He also appreciated Bashundhara's initiative to improve investment in the united states and create jobs.
"Bashundhara is an exemplory case of true entrepreneurship," Hamid added.
The group has generated 30 factories and two major housing projects in the country, said Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, chairman of Bashundhara.
"Bangladesh's economy is rolling out within the last five years as there were no strikes for an individual day. This fuelled robust monetary growth," said Sobhan, adding that Bashundhara will create a school in the region within one-and-a-half-years to supply quality education to locals.
M Shamim Z Bosunia, a specialist on structural engineering, and Shahin Ahmed, upazila chairman of Keraniganj, also addressed the programme.
