Karnaphuli Dry-Dock gets EZ pre-qualification licence

Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) on Sunday issued pre-qualification license to Karnaphuli Dry-Dock Special Economic Zone.

The facilities including jetty and dry dock to be established in the economic zone (EZ) is expected to earn USD 120 million per year employing nearly 3,000 people, sources concerned said.

According to a statement, the pre-qualification license giving ceremony was held at the BEZA conference room in the city.

BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury, its member M Emdadul Haque and Md. Harunur Rashid, the EZ's Managing Director (MD) MA Rashid and other officials attended the ceremony, among others.

It was also said that the IFC (International Finance Corporation) provided Karnaphuli Dry-Dock Limited with a credit amounting to Tk 8.0 billion after conducting feasibility study.

The total cost of the project would be Tk 12 billion, the statement said.

Speaking on the occasion, Paban Chowdhury said once completed, the EZ will create a new era in the country paving the way for water-vessel, dredger construction and overhauling. "It will be the first dry-dock special economic zone in the private sector, which will play a vital role in earning foreign currency for the country," he said.

A press conference was also held in this regard, where it was informed that some infrastructures, including roads and power supply, had already been developed on the 65.2478 acres of land on the bank of Karnaphuli River in Chittagong's Anwara Upazilla.

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