Rangpur Correspondent:

There was a time when the villages of Badarganj upazila in Rangpur would come alive with the sweet aroma of sugarcane.

Whenever the factory siren sounded, life would return to the workers’ settlement and the local market would become bustling. But that siren has been silent for a long time.

Although there was an announcement to reopen the mill nine months ago, Shyampur Sugar Mill — once the region’s only heavy industry — remains shut.

Hopes raised by that promise have since given way to frustration, as the government taskforce’s revival plan stalls in the absence of necessary funding.

As a result, over 4,500 workers from Badarganj, Taraganj and Sadar upazila of Rangpur district remain unemployed, many struggling to survive in increasingly dire conditions.

Entire families in the mill’s workers’ colony now face uncertainty, with no income and little assurance of when — or if — things will improve.

Established in 1964 on 111.45 acres of land, Shyampur Sugar Mill began crushing sugarcane in 1967.

With a daily crushing capacity of 1,016 tonnes and an annual production capacity of over 10,161 tonnes, the mill once supported sugarcane cultivation across 10,000 acres and was directly connected to over 10,000 farmers.

In the 2020-21 fiscal year, the sugar mill halted its sugarcane crushing operations after facing a loss of 226 crore.

Most farmers stopped cultivating sugarcane and shifted to other crops, which have not proven financially viable, weakening them economically.

In December 2024, the government announced plans to reopen the mill based on recommendations from a task force. The plan included ensuring a sufficient supply of sugarcane and reviving the mill on a profitable basis.

Later, a financial estimate was prepared for sugarcane cultivation and replanting expenses for the fiscal years 2024–25, 2025–26 and 2026–27.

On February 10, this year, a letter was sent to the Finance Division through the Ministry of Industries requesting Tk 537 crore for the 2024–25 fiscal years.

Another letter was sent on July 13, seeking fund. Despite these efforts, the Finance Division rejected the funding request in a letter dated July 30.

During a recent visit to the mill this correspondent fund that the premises are overgrown with vegetation and machinery—including sugarcane transport tractors and trolleys—lies neglected and rusting under the sun and rain.

Fazlul Haque, a sugarcane farmer from Shyampur, said farmers staged demonstrations for long demanding reopening of the mill.

He expressed disappointment after hearing the mill might not reopen as promised by the current interim government.

Expressing dissatisfaction, Anarul Islam, another farmer, said that the local economy has collapsed since the mill was shut down.

“There used to be trade worth crores of taka here. Farmers and traders lived like city dwellers. Now, there’s no profit in growing alternative crops, and local business has dried up,” he said.

Mosharraf Hossain, Managing Director of Shyampur Sugar Mill, said, “The plan was to reopen Shyampur Sugar Mill in the first phase. But due to the Finance Division’s refusal to release funds, it couldn’t happen. Our chairman and directors are in communication with the Finance Division. Salaries and allowances are up to date. We want the mill to reopen as soon as possible.”

Altaf Hossain, a member of the closed sugar mill task force committee and local resident, said, “The task force proposed ways to modernise and make these mills profitable. But without the necessary funds, the future of these initiatives is uncertain. If utilized properly, these assets worth thousands of crores could be profitable instead of being a loss burden.”

Rangpur Deputy Commissioner Rabiul Faisal said, “We are trying to engage with the ministry to see if the mill can be reopened quickly. We remain hopeful.”