Rubber wood treatment plant to be set up in Sreemangal
Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation signs deal with Gen Air Technology
Staff Reporter
Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC) under self-financing will establish a pressure treatment plant to process rubber wood at Sreemangal in Moulvibazar.
The project cost has been estimated around Tk 18.38 crore that will help to treat around Tk 13.20 crore rubber wood per year.
BFIDC signed a contract with Gen Air Technology to implement the project. Giash Uddin Mughal, deputy secretary of BFIDC, and Zobaidul Islam Chowdhury, managing director of Gen Air Technology, signed the agreement involving Tk 112,642,300 at BFIDC office in the capital yesterday. The duration of the agreement will be four months from the work order day.
During the four months time, Gen Air Technology will supply necessary equipment, install them and accomplish operational works.
There are a total of 1,32,817 rubber trees in the four rubber gardens of BFIDC in Sreemangal which have passed their economic lifecycle. The estimated value of these trees is about Tk 4 crore if those trees are sold as firewood. But if the trees go under the treatment process, the value of the trees would jump to Tk 74 crore, said Mohammed Abdul Quadir, director (P D), BFIDC.
Sarf Uddin Ahmed, chairman of BFIDC, said the main activities of the rubber wood processing would be started by June next year after installation of equipment.
The chairman also said the project will initiate the process of improving the quality and durability of rubber wood through pressure treatment. It will reduce import of quality wood and save foreign currency as well as to create opportunity for re-plantation in existing garden by replacing the old rubber trees which have lost their ELC, he added. The other parts of the project include an office building, an officer and staff dormitory, a seasoning wood shed, four saw mill sheds and a double cabin pick-up.
