The “Sheikh Hasina Nakshi Palli” project, aimed at creating a specialised zone for artisans, handicrafts, and weavers in Jamalpur’s Compur area, was approved by the Awami League government in March 2019. Five years later, the project has seen no substantial progress and is now facing the possibility of being scrapped.

The project, approved under political influence despite objections from the Planning Commission, has yet to move forward meaningfully.

A senior official from the Planning Commission told the Daily Sun that the approval was largely due to pressure from former state minister for Textile and Jute Mirza Azam, who was also a serves as the member of parliament from Jamalpur-3 (Melandah-Madariganj) and is an organisational secretary of the Awami League.

“In the first phase, a budget of Tk772 crore was allocated, intended to train artisans and craftspeople and contribute to poverty alleviation. The project planned to acquire 300 acres of agricultural land along the banks of the River Jhinai. The total estimated cost was Tk5,200 crore. However, the Tk772 crore first phase, primarily for land acquisition and soil filling, was approved in an ECNEC meeting,” the official noted.

Despite around 300 institutions and 200,000 workers already being engaged in this industry across various upazilas of Jamalpur, the Planning Commission raised concerns about centralising these artisans under one institution.

“Most of the artisans work on Nakshi Kantha embroidery during their free time, from different villages. Centralising this work could disrupt the existing system and waste the allocated funds,” the official added.

While the Planning Commission’s objections questioned the practicality of the project, it was nevertheless advanced, largely due to the influence of Mirza Azam.

Now, five years later, with little progress made, the project remains on shaky ground, with cancellation being a strong possibility.

Md Shahinur Alam, a local entrepreneur, shared his concerns about the project. “We run a Nakshi fabric business in various areas of Jamalpur. Our supervisors design the patterns, and the work is distributed among artisans in different villages. Most of these artisans are housewives who complete the work in their free time. Nakshi Kantha, sarees, salwar kameez, and other products made in Jamalpur are not only recognised in Bangladesh but also abroad,” he said.

Md Motiur Rahman, Deputy Project Director, admitted that while the project was approved in March 2019, it has stalled due to a lack of funding. Despite the deadline being extended to June 2025, there has been no significant progress.

“The main issue has been the Ministry of Finance’s delay in releasing the funds. Even though the project was initially planned for 100 acres, it later expanded to 300 acres, including 56 acres of khas (government-owned) land along the river, which has raised further objections,” he explained.

Abul Kashem Md Mohiuddin, secretary of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), expressed doubts about the project’s future, stating that non-essential projects could be cancelled.

“This project is not urgent, and it cannot continue in its current form. We will investigate any irregularities and take necessary action,” he said.

The interim government’s Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud stressed the importance of scrutinising politically motivated projects, particularly those lacking economic viability, to reduce development expenditure.

Former Planning Minister MA Mannan, speaking to the Daily Sun, confirmed that while he presented many projects in ECNEC meetings, the decision to approve them lay with higher authorities.

He acknowledged that he was personally against the Nakshi Palli project but had to submit it due to pressure from senior officials.

Although no final decision has been made to cancel the project, its future remains uncertain as delays, financial constraints, and concerns over its viability persist.