Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi has said the launching of the RFL Group's second bicycle production factory in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur district has opened a new door of employment in the region.
"The 'monga'-stricken past of Gangachara is over. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has driven away 'monga' from the north where PRAN-RFL Group has created employment. Gangachara is now on the path of progress," he said.
The minister said this while speaking as the chief guest at the RFL Group's Bicycle Factory launching ceremony held at the 'Ganga Foundry Limited' premises in village Lalchandpur of the upazila on Thursday.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the country's leading business conglomerate PRAN-RFL Group Ahsan Khan Chowdhury presided over the function, reports BSS.
Opposition Chief Whip in Parliament Mashiur Rahman Ranga and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Tapan Kanti Ghosh attended the function as special guests.
Deputy Inspector General for Rangpur Range of Bangladesh Police Mohd Abdul Alim Mahmud, Senior Vice-president of FBCCI Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Chitralekha Nazneen and Superintendent of Police Md. Ferdous Ali Chowdhury were present as guests of honour.
Managing Director of PRAN-RFL Group RN Paul gave a welcome address.
Tipu Munshi, also a heroic freedom fighter, said, "We had fought during the War of Liberation and liberated the country. PRAN-RFL group is now working for the economic freedom of the nation."
The Group works with farmers and rural people. PRAN products are now everywhere in India, especially in Assam. All these are stories of our victory.
"PRAN-RFL products are being exported to many countries around the world playing an important role in the country's economy. Let the Group go further ahead through the production of bicycles taking our economy forward," he said.
"Bicycles from Bangladesh are being exported all over the world, especially to Europe. When I see Bangladesh products in Europe, the chest becomes bigger," the minister added.
Ahsan Khan Chowdhury said, in the context of increasing demand for bicycles in the local and export markets, PRAN-RFL Group has launched the second bicycle factory in the country at Gangachara upazila of Rangpur.
All the bikes for the local market will be manufactured from this factory.
The annual production capacity of the factory will be 0.60 million pieces once it is fully operational employing 1000 people.
The factory has been set up with the aim of creating skilled manpower in this sector alongside creating employment in the country's northern part.
He said the light engineering sector of the country has developed due to various steps taken by the present government.
The import dependence on various products in this sector, including bicycles, has decreased while export earning of this sector is also gradually increasing.
"We hope that the light engineering sector will be able to establish a strong position in export trade of the country very soon, and RFL Group wants to lead this sector from the front," he mentioned.
Later, the chief guest with other invited guests visited the bicycle factory.
Apart from manufacturing bicycles, the 70,000-square-foot factory will manufacture frames, forks, tyres, tubes and other bicycle components. The factory has received an investment of Tk 600 million.
RFL Group has been manufacturing and marketing bicycles since 2014 and its first bicycle factory is located at Shayestaganj in Habiganj district and produces 0.80 million pieces of bicycle annually.
Currently, RFL manufactured bicycles are being exported to 15 countries, including England, The Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Austria and Belgium.
