CHITTAGONG, Jan 23: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going to unveil the foundation plaque of Mirsarai economic zone (EZ) today (Wednesday) through a video conference from Dhaka.
Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) is developing the country's largest EZ on 1,150 acres of land at Charsarat of Ichakhali union in Mirsarai under Chittagong.
The area of Mirsarai EZ is almost half of the total area of 2,308 acres of all the eight existing export processing zones (EPZs) under BEPZA.
Mirsarai EZ is being developed near Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, and its location is one hour's road transport distance from Chittagong Port. The government is constructing connecting roads, and has ensured supply of gas, electricity and other utilities for it. Development of the project was approved by the government in January 2017. If everything goes in line with the plan, the EZ will be ready for investment in two years.
The Prime Minister will inaugurate BEPZA International Investors' Summit 2018 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital on Wednesday morning. From there she will unveil the foundation plaque of BEPZA EZ in Mirsarai. On the occasion, BEPZA authority has organized an event at Charsarat, where a large number of investors, businesspeople, government officials, trade body leaders, workers and media representatives will be present.
Minister for Public Works and Housing Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, also the ruling party lawmaker from Mirsarai, and State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Zaved will attend the function, among others.
Sources said the Mirsarai EZ has already become a focus of interest of local and foreign investors. At least 50 entrepreneurs have already applied for industrial plots in the zone. It will have 800-850 plots, which can accommodate 300-350 industries. After completion, the EZ will gradually turn into a hub of technology-based and heavy industrial units with huge potentials of changing the whole scenario of the region, they opined. BEPZA expects an initial investment of US$ 4.5 billion in Mirsarai EZ as well as creation of approximately some 0.5 million new jobs in it. The total investment in all the EPZs under BEPZA stands at $ 4.34 billion as of today.
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