Ecnec clears exclusive economic zone for China

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved the proposed Chinese Economic & Industrial Zone to be set up on 774.25 acres of land at Anwara in Chittagong involving Tk 4.2037 billion exclusively for Chinese investors.
The project, officially known as 'Acquisition of Land for Development of Anwara-2 Economic Zone, received the green signal at the 7th Ecnec meeting of the current fiscal year at NEC conference room in the capital with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of seven projects were approved in the meeting with an overall outlay of Tk 50.3979 billion.
"Of the total project cost, Tk 29.1660 billion will come from the national exchequer while the rest from project assistance and five of the approved seven projects are new while two were revised ones,” he added.
The move for setting up exclusive Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone comes after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proposed an industrial zone during her visit to China on June 6-11 last year.
The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) also signed an agreement with the Commerce Ministry of China during the visit, a UNB report said.
BEZA under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) will implement the project by June, 2016.
-SS