Rajshahi Chamber Of Commerce And Industry

2.1Cultivable land of Rajshahi region is very much fertile to produce quality fruits and vegetables especially mango, potato, tomato, beans, green papaya, cabbage etc.
2.2The production of above mentioned products are surplus for local market in respective season round the year.
2.3Due to surplus production, the farmers are not getting their expected price, sometimes not even their production cost due to lack of enough marketing facilities and knowledge, which affects the socio-economic development of this region.
2.4The above mentioned problems can be solved by developing marketing system and through improving export gateway in home and abroad-


# Development of direct communication with Mongla sea port by road/rail from this region.

# Expansion of existing runway of Rajshahi Air port for air cargo facility.

# Establishment of standard testing laboratory for certification of agro- products.

3.1There are many traditional small and cottage industries existing in this region for example-embroidery work (Nakshi Kantha), bell and brass work, pottery, boutique etc.
3.2Mentionable number of skilled manpower used to work from generation to generation in these industries.
3.3These industrial products have tremendous demand in local as well as western world markets.
3.4These products cannot enter these markets due to lack of financial facilities, modern marketing knowledge and govt. policies.
3.5Only integrated action plan can sustain these industries.

It has to be mentioned over here that, the concept of BSCIC industrial area has been proved an unsuccessful in major areas in Bangladesh due to lack of proper facilities, management and monitoring . So Rajshahi is not out of this kind. Since Rajshahi is an underdeveloped area, the entrepreneurs need separate business and industrial policy with facilities, which can attract investment. SEZ is a modern concept which can fulfill the requirement of the new entrepreneurs to invest their capital. Public Privet Partnership (PPP) concept can develop SEZ with modern facilities in this region .

Development of IT will create a new era for Rajshahi. It has to be mentioned over here that Rajshahi is a city with number of general and technical universities, medical college, and technical institutes next to Dhaka. The remarkable feature is that most of the student those who are studying at school, college and university have little access in computer. A negligible number of students undergone training at the private IT institution to learn computer. Inspite of educational institute, other branches of Business Sector like, Banks, Business enterprises are not getting enough IT support so, they are unable to cope up with the fast going world business market. Development of IT Sector will create a new horizon and as a result,


# Student will learn Computer operation.
# Computer literate student will get preference to avail job facilities else where in Bangladesh and abroad.
# It will create a better Communication between home and abroad.
# Business sector will able to complete their job quickly and can able to cope up with fast going world business market.
# IT literate manpower will be able to develop their own IT business which will provide employment opportunity.

At present exporting skilled manpower is a vital component for earning foreign currency for any country. Human resource development is necessary to compete with world manpower market. Rajshahi has many training institutes to produce skilled manpower such as poly technique institute, technical training centers, nurses training institute, paramedical institute etc. but these institutes and training centers are not facilitated with modern technologies and equipments. By upgrading these infrastructural facilities we can produce required skilled manpower for present world market which can provide employment to thousands of educated unemployed youth.

Rajshahi stands on the bank of the River Padma. Once, not many years, it was a river way connecting Rajshahi with elsewhere of the country round the year. Unfortunately after construction of Farakka Barrage on the upstream in India the water flow has decreased. Only in the rainy season excess water is released by Indian government creating disasters to this region. During rainy season the excess water in the river can be harvested through water management. Along the river Padma vast cultivable land of Barind Tract is situated. This area is entirely irrigated with underground water through deep tube-wells. This underground water contains many toxic elements like arsenic and pollutes the soil of the command area. The harvested water from Padma during rainy season can be stored in existing small rivers and canals in Barind area. It is mentioned that most of the rivers and canals are silted and need to be excavated under water management programme. This stored surface water can minimize the use of underground water. It will help the soil from underground water pollution. The excavated canals and rivers can also be used for pisciculture.

Since Rajshahi is a low water table zone, hence there is a need of Water Treatment Plant in Rajshahi, During Summer; it has been keenly observed
that scarcity of water is too high of this area. Rajshahi City Corporation depends on underground water and supplying at the door steeps of the city dwellers in exchange of money. It has to be mentioned over here that there is an alarming presence of arsenic (more than 0.05 ml per liter) at the ground water a little far from Rajshahi. So it is assumed that in the near future there might be every possibility of contaminated water by arsenic at this region. Therefore, water treatment plant is needed for supplying contamination/ arsenic free water for mass.

Bangladesh is a country with huge population. Naturally we do not want to waste more agricultural land. So, Govt. is planning how to save agricultural land. In that case we are not in a position to acquire new land to establish new academic centre. But we can not deprive the deserving students to get admission to public academic institution for insufficient accommodation. To solve the problem we can think about arranging double shift at existing public colleges and universities to provide higher education specially financially backward students those who cannot take education from private educational centers. Initiative from government can help this problem out.