C T Online Desk: Charmed by the potential of the jute, and jute products in both the local and foreign markets, GPH Ispat and Fortune Shoes are now planning to invest in the industry.
The publicly-listed firms have submitted their expression of interest (EOI) to get the lease of state-owned jute mills in the Chattogram and Khulna zones.
GPH Ispat and Fortune Shoes took part in an international tender floated by the Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMC) – a body which supervises state-run jute mills.
GPH Ispat is a country’s one of the leading steel manufacturers and Fortune Shoes is a 100% export-oriented footwear maker.
If they are awarded the lease, this will be their first footstep in the jute industry, say sources.
At the beginning of this year, the BJMC floated an international tender to lease out 13 state-owned jute mills to the private sector.
In response to the tender, a total of 18 local and foreign firms, including the two listed firms, primarily submitted proposals in the jute sector.
According to BJMC, GPH Ispat applied and submitted an expression of interest to get the lease for three jute mills in the Chattogram zone, and the Fortune Shoes for two in the Khulna zone.
Now, the BJMC asked the interested firms to submit their final proposals by 25 May.
After getting the final proposals, the evaluation committee of the BJMC will finalise the winning firms for leasing out the government-owned jute mills.
The officials of the two companies said, participating in the tender does not mean that it is being finalised. If it is final, then they will invest in the jute industry.
