Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday underscored the need for the proper utilisation of the lands of closed state-run industries saying that no public industry would be privatised in future.

The Prime Minister said this while presiding over the second meeting of the National Council of Industrial Development (NCID) at her office.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said various aspects of enhancement of industrialisation and investments in the country came up at the meeting for discussions.

He said the meeting was informed that the Board of Investment and the Privatisation Commission would be merged for further accelerating industrialisation and investment.

Referring to the sale of unused land of closed public sector industries at throwaway prices in the past, Sheikh Hasina said these lands would be used to set up industrial parks in the future. Now there is no need for a vast land to set up a modern industry as it could be done on a small land, she added.

Terming jute an environment-friendly agricultural asset of the country, the Prime Minister said the government proposed China to produce jute yarn in Bangladesh.

Hasina also underscored the need for raising the minimum ceiling of loan for micro industries from the existing Tk five lakh.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Jute Minister Emaj Uddin Pramanik, Environment and Forest Minister Anwar Hossain, PM’s Adviser Dr Moshiur Rahman, State Minister for Energy and Power Nasrul Hamid, BoI Executive Chairman SA Samad, Cabinet Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad and secretaries concerned were present.