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Factories of some 14 industries will simultaneously go into commercial operation in different Economic Zones (EZs) in the country this week.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate the industrial units on Wednesday while also laying the foundation stone for 29 more factories.
Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Shaikh Yusuf Harun shared the information with journalists at a view-exchange meeting with the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) on Sunday in the capital. The programme was jointly organised by the organisations.
The BEZA Executive Chairman said the commercial operations of four factories at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) will begin on 26 October. The factories are owned by Asian Paints of India, Nippon of Japan, McDonald of Bangladesh and Samuda Construction Limited. In addition, a factory of Double Glazing would also be inaugurated at Srihatta Economic Zone.
Yusuf Harun also said the prime minister will also inaugurate the commercial operation of another nine industrial units at different private EZs, which will include the country’s biggest PVC factory.
In order to start commercial production, some $967.73 million has already been invested in the factories while the owners of the industries concerned informed authorities that they plan to invest $331.27 million more.
Meanwhile, the 29 factories, awaiting construction work, have already attracted an investment of $610 million, and $1,922.39 million more would be invested in them, the BEZA executive chairman informed.
He said these industries have already created investment opportunities for some 6,407 people. Also, the factories will create 38,658 employment opportunities.
The Premier will also inaugurate important infrastructures at the BSMSN, Jamalpur Economic Zone, Srihotto Economic Zone, the administrative building of Sabrang Tourism Park, 20-kilometre-long Sheikh Hasina Avenue at the BSMSN, 230-KV grid line and power substation. Apart from this, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of 50 MLD water treatment plants at the BSMSN.
The BEZA Executive Chairman said starting its operation in 2013 for ensuring planned industrialisation, the work for developing some 10 Economic Zones was inaugurated in 2016 by the Prime Minister. Later in 2019, the Premier inaugurated industrial units and also laid foundation stones at the economic zones.
Regarding the supply of amenities like gas, power and water to the EZs, Harun said gas and power are being provided to the investors at the economic zones on a priority basis although power production is now being hampered due to the global situation.
He also said BEZA has cancelled allotments of two industries for violation of agreements.
Giving a presentation at the event, BSMSN Project Director Abdullah Al Mahmud Faruk said development work is ongoing at some 28 EZs out of 97.
BSMSN, Srihotto Economic Zone, Jamalpur Economic Zone, Moheshkhali Economic Zone and Sabrang Tourism Park have already garnered investment proposals worth $22.17 billion.
Besides, investment of around $4 billion has already been made at some 12 licensed private economic zones. Some 29 industries have started their commercial operations at both public and private economic zones while some 61 industrial units are under construction.
Investors from foreign countries like Japan, China, India, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, the USA, the UK, Singapore, South Korea and Norway made investments in these economic zones.
