China investors may get special economic zone: FBCCI

Bangladesh will offer either an industrial park or a special economic zone for Chinese investors to invest here in a larger scale during business leaders’ coming China visit, said the FBCCI president on Sunday. ‘Invest and develop your industries here. We promise, we’ll give you an industrial park or a special economic zone. We’ll tell them that Bangladesh is a safe destination for investment,’ FBCCI President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed told a press conference at its conference room in Dhaka. He hinted that there might be a positive outcome over a deep seaport to be built at Sonadia Island near Cox’s Bazar during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming China visit. The Primer Minister is scheduled to fly to China on June 6 on a five-day official visit while FBCCI delegation, led by its President, will go to China on June 4. China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), a subsidiary of state-owned China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), has shown interest in financing and constructing the port, which would boost the country’s GDP growth by 2 per cent. The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) arranged the press conference to brief media about their recent Japan visit. FBCCI first vice president Monwara Hakim Ali, vice president M Helal Uddin, Bangladesh Garment Manufactories and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President M Atiqul Islam were, among others, present. Responding to a question, the FBBCI President said he would attend China-South Asia Business Forum and China-South Asia Expo in Kunming where they would discuss issues relating to investment and expansion of trade between the two countries, according to UNB.