Bangladesh were born in the background of utter industrial backwardness. At the time of her birth she was so poor in the field of industry that almost all the industry products that the required had to imported from abroad. Though she hold the monopoly of jute, leather, and other raw materials she was obliged both to export jute to other countries and buy from them finished goods made with her raw materials. This tragic position lasted for years together.
To add to her difficulties, her population was entirely agricultural, inclined towards agriculture. Her wealthy people, very few in numbers, were inclined towards commerce and had no idea about industry. Over and above that she lacked those natural facilities which help the growth of industry. She has no coalfield, no iron mine, no oil deposit and no natural source of power. And starting with many barriers and a few advantages, Bangladesh have amazed the word by her industrial progress in less than twenty years.
The Government of Bangladesh played an important role in the development of industries in this country. Right at the beginning, it came forward and invited the wealthy people to invest money in industries under the protection and patronage of the state. The industrial corporations undertook to organize a large number of important industries where the investment is too heavy for private individuals. Some foreign capital was invited and given attractive facilities. Granting the national capitals many advantages encouraged the investment of national capital. Research laboratories have been set up to test raw materials and improve the quality of local products. A vigorous campaign was launched to find out new minerals and some important discoveries we actually made.
As a result of this brisk and all round effort for several years, Bangladesh can now boast of possessing a large number of important industries. She has some jut mills, fertilizer, steel mills, textile mills, paper mills, machine tool factory, electrical industries, several sugar mills, leather industries and cement factories, all of which are very big in respect of size, production and investment, besides, hundreds of other smaller and mediocre industries that have been set up in different parts of the country. Mention to be made of our garment industries earning huge foreign exchanges and employing large number of unemployed, male and female.
To solve the problem of power capacity of carnally hydroelectric project have been developed in addition to gas power station set up in gohrashal and those are supplying cheap electricity through out the whole of Bangladesh. Gas is the most important aspect of our development of fuel. Natural gas is abundant in the eastern section of the country. Many industries are run by gas. If properly exploited, thy can supply much power for industrial consumption.
Born in the midst of absolute vacuum. Bangladesh is going ahead speedily in the field of industrial progress. Her speeds will immensely increases when all the sources of power will be properly utilized. And then the dream of her people to build up their country as one of the prosperous states of the world will be realized in full.