Meghna Group of Industries (MGI), a leading Bangladeshi business group inaugurated last week nine newly-built industrial units, including cement plants, at its economic zone in the Narayanganj district, Dhaka of Bangladesh. A group announcement said, "We are much obliged to the distinguished guests, patrons and well-wishers for their unconditional support to our cause."

The Finance Minister of Bangladesh, A H M Mustafa Kamal, was the chief guest of the inauguration programme. Minister of Commerce, Tipu Munshi, as well as State Minister of Shipping, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury. Leakoat Hossain Khoka and Narayanganji-3 also attended, as did Sheikh Fazle Fahim, president of FBCCI,  Paban Chowdhury, executive chairman of BEZA, and Mostafa Kamal, chairman and marketing director of Meghna Group of Industries and his team.

The new industrial units include Unique Cement Industries Ltd (Unit-2), Meghna Sugar Refinery Ltd, Sonargaon Seeds Crushing Mills Ltd, Meghna Ballpen and Accessories MFG Ltd, Meghna Noodles and Biscuit Factory Ltd, Sanargoan Printing and Packaging Industries Ltd, Fresh Welding Electrodes and Wire Meghna Fresh LPG Ltd, and Sonargaon Shipbuilders and Dockyard Ltd.

MGI invested about BDT40bn (US$471.9m) to set up the manufacturing facilities, where 8400 workers will be directly employed. After meeting the local demand, the group also intends to export the different products manufactured at the factories.

The second manufacturing unit of the Unique Cement Industry with the brand name "Fresh cement"  has a production capacity of 10,000tpd. It is expected to meet the growing local demand and export to northeast India. The company's first unit was set up in 2001, which has original capacity of 3.6Mta near Dhaka.