United News of Bangladesh

The government on Tuesday signed lease agreements with two private business groups to reopen three long-closed state-owned jute mills, involving an investment of around Tk 619 crore and an opportunity to create at least 11,629 jobs. The agreements were signed between Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), PRAN-RFL Group and HAMKO Group in the presence of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at his office at the Secretariat, said PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. Under the agreements, PRAN-RFL Group will take over National Jute Mills Ltd in Sirajganj and Star Jute Mills Ltd in Khulna, while HAMKO Group will take over Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills Ltd in Khulna. BJMC Chairman Brig Gen Md Kabir Uddin Sikder signed the agreements on behalf of the state-owned corporation. Aminur Rahman, group company secretary of PRAN-RFL Group, and ATM Mustafa, managing director of HAMKO Group, signed the agreements on behalf of their respective companies. The three long-closed mills will be reopened under private management. Once operational, the mills are expected to create at least 11,629 jobs, with an investment of around Tk 619 crore and a combined potential annual turnover of about Tk 1,175 crore. The National Jute Mills in Raipur, Sirajganj, is planned to receive an investment of around Tk 157 crore. Once reopened, the mill is expected to create 5,238 jobs and generate an annual turnover of around Tk 500 crore. Around Tk 250 crore will be invested in Star Jute Mills in Digholia, Khulna. The mill is expected to create 5,238 jobs after reopening, with an annual turnover target of around Tk 500 crore. Meanwhile, around Tk 212 crore is planned to be invested in Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills in Khalishpur, Khulna. The mill is expected to create at least 1,153 jobs once reopened, with a potential annual turnover of around Tk 175 crore. It was discussed at the programme that the government has decided to reopen 20 of the 25 mills under the BJMC that remain closed under lease-based private management. So far, leases for 14 mills have been completed and possession handed over to the lessees, while production has already resumed at nine of them. Commerce, Industries and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful Alam, Textiles and Jute Secretary Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury, and senior officials of BJMC and the leaseholding companies were present.  

PRAN-RFL Group a leading business conglomerate of the country, has targeted to export products worth $1 billion by 2025 and $2 billion by 2030. Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the group, made the announcement at a press briefing event titled “25 years of PRAN-RFL export: Taking Bangladesh to the world” at a hotel in the capital on Sunday. Also read: Pran-RFL opens Amjad Khan Chowdhury Nursing College To achieve the aim Pran-RFL wants to export all the products it manufactures. PRAN-RFL exported worth $532 million in 2021-22 fiscal year. Mentioning that the country’s export sector has done well despite the global crisis due to corona and Russia-Ukraine war, Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, said, "We had a chance to do better but we have not been able to fully attain that opportunity due to various reasons including non-availability of liner service on particular routes, abnormal increase in freight cost rate and not having enough containers”. Read Pran-RFL opens Amjad Khan Chowdhury Nursing College He sought government’s attention to solve these problems to increase the country’s export products.

Pran is set to collect 65,000 tonnes of mangoes this year to manufacture drinks, juices and other food items which are exported to some 145 countries. The agro-processor started collecting and pulping mangoes in its plants in Natore and Rajshahi Thursday. Sarowar Hossain, general manager of Barind Industrial Park in Rajshahi, said: "We are collecting mangoes from Rajshahi, Natore, Chapai Nawabganj, Naogaon, Dinajpur, Meherpur and Satkhira. In the first phase, we will buy the Guti variety. After that, we will collect the Ashwani variety." Read: Serbia keen to invest in food storage industry in Bangladesh: FBCCI Kamruzzaman Kamal, marketing director of Pran-RFL Group, said, "We collected more than 40,000 metric tonnes of mangoes last year." "Pulp is being produced in our plants following aseptic technology. It helps preserve the pulps for two years while maintaining their taste and freshness without freezing. We are manufacturing mango juices and drinks throughout the year from these pulps." Read: Govt mulls amnesty to bring back laundered money: Finance Minister  

RFL Tubewell, the first product of business conglomerate Pran-RFL Group, has completed 40 years of operation. "RFL Tubewell started its journey in 1980 when people were suffering from various water-borne diseases due to lack of pure drinking water. We are proud to be able to provide safe drinking water to nearly 30 million families," RFL Group Managing Director RN Paul said at a function in the capital Tuesday. Read: RFL launches awareness campaign on water wastage He added, "On the occasion of RFL Tubewell's 40th anniversary, pure water will be provided to 40 villages through tube wells in remote and char areas of Bangladesh." Abdul Kuddus Miah, business In-charge of RFL Tubewell, said: "RFL Tubewell has become one of the leading brands in the country due to its wide presence, affordable prices and excellent quality." "It has been the source of drinking water for people all over the country for 40 years."

Pran-RFL Group has launched the campaign "Ahar Hobe Shobar Ghore'' under the "Pashe Asi Bangladesh'' initiative for lower and middle-income people. "Pashe Asi Bangladesh" is the CSR initiative of Pran-RFL – aimed to help the low-income people affected by calamities and crises. Under the initiative, the group started distributing emergency food and protective items to low-income groups and hospitals when Covid-19 unfolded in the country in March last year. READ: Pran Drinking Water gives food to the needy in Ramadan "Many people around us were self-sufficient, but they have now become helpless due to Covid. They need food assistance but do not seek out help when they need it. We urge them not to hesitate to dial our number to get food aid. We will maintain confidentiality," Pran Managing Director Eleash Mridha said at a press conference in the capital Thursday. Uzma Chowdhury, director of corporate finance at Pran-RFL Group, said: "We already distributed food support to more than 1 lakh people who became workless due to the pandemic under the CSR program 'Pashe Asi Bangladesh.' Now we aim to support lower and middle-income people with food assistance." READ: Pran Agro issues 1st internationally guaranteed bond in Bangladesh "The food item includes Pran rice, dal, oil, salt, puffed rice, toast and noodles. People will be able to get the support through email [email protected] along with dialling 02222281792. They can also seek out help through our social media pages, including Facebook," Nurul Afser, head of Corporate Brand at Pran-RFL, said.

Good news for fried chicken lovers as PRAN group launched a new chain-shop of fast food market named ‘FRY BUCKET’. The FRY BUCKET launched its maiden outlet at the capital Dhanmondi on Thursday.  Eleashb Mridha, Managing Director at PRAN group, inaugurated the outlet through a program held at Nilu Square of Satmasjid road of Dhanmondi. Read: PRAN UP, Daraz to launch recharge offer Addressing the program, Eleash Mridha said, “The number of people, who enjoy fast food and entertainment, are increasing day by day. Therefore, many of us are choosing the fast food retails to give the time for their family members. For these reasons, many international fast food brands are doing good in our country. We do believe, FRY BUCKET will get popular among the customers soon.” He also said, “Our relentless effort will be continued so that customers can get the best service and standard products from the `FRY BUCKET’. We believe, consumers love bring us here and we also want to go far with their continuous support.” Read Best Food Delivery Apps in Bangladesh in 2021 Ibrahim Khalil, Head of Business at FRY BUCKET said,” We have a plan to open 100 outlets across the country. Firstly, we will open FRY BUCKET outlets at divisional level. Then we will set up it in districts level. This way, we want to go to the people of all classes. We have a plan to open outlet in abroad in the future.” Touhiduzzaman, Assistant General Manager (Public Relations) at PRAN-RFL Group and Borhan Uddin, Brand Manager at FRY BUCKET and among others, were also present at the program. Read Bangladesh Cloud Kitchen Business Heralds Improved Food Delivery Services

Getwell Limited, a sister concern of business conglomerate Pran-RFL Group, recently organised a Covid-19 awareness campaign and distributed surgical face masks in different parts of the capital. Getwell-branded face masks were distributed among the commoners at Mohakhali Bus Stand and Gulshan with the help of the law enforcers. Getwell Brand Manager Rofiqul Islam said, "We manufacture a wide range of medical equipment. From the beginning, Getewell has been involved in various social and cultural activities. This campaign is the continuation of it."

PRAN-RFL, country's leading business conglomerate, has donated hand rubs and pure drinking water for health workers working at Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Covid-19 dedicated hospital on Wednesday. Kamruzzaman Kamal, marketing director of PRAN-RFL Group, handed over the ‘Activo’ branded hand rub and PRAN Drinking Water to Brig. Gen. AKM Nasir Uddin, Director of the hospital. Also read:PRAN-RFL Group distributing food among 40,000 families Kamruzzaman Kamal said “Protective equipment and drinking water have been given to DNCC Covid Hospital for its health workers who are carrying out their professional duties during the epidemic amid risk.” Brig. Gen. AKM Nasir Uddin thanked PRAN-RFL for providing safety equipment and drinking water for the health workers at the hospital. Read:PRAN-RFL donates protective equipment to three Covid-19 ... PRAN-RFL has provided food to 70,000 helpless and poor families who became lost job during the general holidays across the country last year to contain the spread of coronavirus.    Moreover, the group donated corona sample collection booth, surgical masks, PPE, hand gloves and hand sanitizers to Director General of Health Services (DGHS) and 15 hospitals in Dhaka, Chattogram and Bhola.  Also read PRAN-RFL provides food to corona affected 6,000 families

Pran Dairy has continued collecting milk from its contractual dairy farmers amid the nationwide lockdown – put in place to curb Covid-19. As Covid-19 cases and fatalities have been on an upswing in the country, the dairy processor is creating awareness among the farmers so that they can supply milk to the collection centres, following proper health guidelines.       Maksudur Rahman, assistant general manager (operation) of Pran Dairy, said: "We are collecting milk from our 12,000 contractual farmers regularly." Read Lockdown: Sirajganj dairy farmers in trouble again "Dairy farmers cannot sell milk now as hotels and sweet shops are closed. However, we are collecting all of the milk that the farmers are delivering to our centres." He also said Pran has five hubs in Chatmohar of Pabna, Gurudaspur of Natore, Shahjadpur and Baghabari of Sirajganj and Rangpur; there are 101 collection centres under the hubs. "Recently, we have taken steps to increase the number of our collection centre in the southern region. Also, we have set up some collection centres in Satkhira and also started collecting milk from there. Farmers are supplying milk at the collection and chilling centres, maintaining social distancing and following health guidelines," Maksudur said. Read Coronavirus: PRAN Dairy collects 2 lac liters of milk from farmers Kamruzzaman Kamal, marketing director of Pran-RFL Group, said: "We are being able to provide products to the customers, thanks to the government's decision to keep the supply of agriculture, dairy and other essential products normal." "The demand for milk, generally, increases during Ramadan. So, we have introduced home delivery facilities for milk and dairy products," he said in a media release.  Read PRAN Milk Powder launches ‘Amar Little Star’ campaign

RFL Group sister concern Banga Building Materials organised its dealers’ conference at a Habiganj hotel on Tuesday.