Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) today inked a deal with an Indian consulting firm named Mahindra Consulting Engineers Limited at its conference room in the city to establish the Government to Government (G2G) based Indian Economic Zone (EZ).
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram K Doraiswami attended the event as the guest of honour while BEZA Executive Chairman Shaikh Yusuf Harun presided over it.
Project Director of the Indian EZ Md Mokhlesur Rahman and President and Chief Operation Officer of the Mahindra Consulting Engineers Limited CS Narayanan inked the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.
In his speech, Vikram K Doraiswami said India and Bangladesh have remarkable friendly and bilateral relations and the establishment of the Indian EZ will further strengthen the economic ties between the two countries.
The implementation of this economic zone would accelerate the economic development of the region, he added.
He said that his government is committed to the successful implementation of this region.
Shaikh Yusuf Harun said the initiative is the beginning of huge activity and its successful completion will be through the creation of a planned Indian EZ.
He expressed his gratitude to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh and the Exim Bank of India for their support and cooperation.
He said that an international standard Indian EZ would be established by combining the experience and technical knowledge of Mahindra Engineering.
Through this contract, Md Mokhlesur Rahman said, Mahindra Construction Engineers Limited will be engaged as a Project Management Consultant (MPC) for the assignment of design and supervision of the project named 'Establishment of Indian Economic Zone in Mirsarai.
He said the value of this contract is around Tk 26.66 crore including local taxes, AIT and VAT.
"This contract for the PMC is one of the milestones in the process of implementation of the 'Establishment of Indian EZ in Mirsarai project.
He hoped that the engagement of Mahindra Consulting Engineers Limited as a PMC will fasten up the ongoing implementation process of this important project of BEA.
Indian EZ is being established at Mirsarai in Chattogram district under the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) on about 857 acres of land with a cost of about Tk 964 crore (Indian Flexible Loan LOC US$115 million).
The main activities of the project are land development, construction of an access road, administrative building, security shed, water supply and sanitation system, telecommunication, water treatment plant and other investment-friendly facilities.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Bangladesh and India in June 2015 to establish the Indian EZ.
