The textile and jute ministry is taking back five silk and textile plants from the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, formerly the Privatisation Commission, 12 years after soliciting privatisation.

The cabinet committee on economic affairs yesterday approved the proposal for retaking the five plants:  Rajshahi Silk Mills, Thakurgaon Silk Mills, Sylhet Textile Mills, Kurigram Textile Mills, and Valika Woollen Mills.

The two silk mills were sent to then Privatisation Commission in 2007 and the three textile and woollen mills in 2012.

The Silk Board has to spend Tk 33 lakh every year to meet the expenses of the two closed mills.

Every year, the Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation has to spend about Tk 93 lakh to meet the salaries and allowances of the staff of the closed mills, said the proposal from the minis-try.The prime minister has given directive to re-open the mills by importing modern equipment, the proposal said.

On the other hand, the parliamentary standing committee on the textile ministry has recommended taking back the mills and putting them into production.

Due to tension between the former Privatisation Commission and the ministries, the government had to count several lakh taka in losses, said a finance ministry official.

“If those could be handed over to the private sector in time, jobs could have been generated and production increased,” he added. On the other hand, many employees have been kept idle but they are getting salaries.

Kurigram Textile Mills had to pay Tk 34 lakh yearly on salary, and Sylhet Textile Mills Tk 15 lakh, according to the Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation statistics.

The three mills' yearly electricity bill was Tk 10 lakh.