Govt plans to set up eight more economic zones

The government is planning to set up eight more economic zones in the country aiming to attract both local and foreign investments, boost exports and create employment for thousands of people, officials said.
The primary selection committee has recently approved eight sites for new economic zones covering an area of about 3,000 acres, they added.
The committee is expected to give its nod to additional seven proposals in its next meeting to be held on June 23.
"Industries in our country have been flourishing in a scattered manner in absence of proper plans," Paban Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), told the FE.
The main objective of setting up EZs is to allow industries in a planned way so that there is no scarcity of land for industrialisation in future and protect the environment from pollution, he noted.
Both foreign and local investors are showing their interest to set up EZs and the government is taking necessary steps in this regard, another BEZA official said.
Of the eight proposed zones, three are from private sector and the rest from the government, he added.
The proposed Meghna Industrial Economic Zone and Meghna Economic Zone will be set up on 325 acres of land in Sonargaon of Narayanganj district while Famkom Economic Zone on 300 acres of land in Rampal of Bagerhat district, the official said.
The DC offices have proposed setting up Dhaka Economic Zone on 316 acres of land in Dohar, Habiganj Economic Zone on 512 acres in Chunarughat, Jaliardip Economic Zone on 271 acres in Teknaf of Cox's Bazar and two other EZs on 525 acres and 750 acres in Jajira and Goshairhat of Shariatpur district.
The committee gave its approval for those proposals that were initially scrutinised by the BEZA under the Prime Minister's Office, he said.
Investors from France and Japan have showed their interest to invest here and already started visiting the sites, the BEZA official said, adding that some of them are examining the potentiality of products they want to manufacture.
"We have already written to the World Bank, seeking its assistance in conducting an initial assessment in few of those sites, especially that of Dhaka, Shariatpur and Cox's Bazar," he said.
Earlier, the governing body headed by the Prime Minister approved a total of 22 sites. Five of them were selected in 2012 while the rest in February last.
Of the 22, three came from private sector - AK Khan PEZ in Narsingdi and Abdul Monem PEZ and Garment Shilpa Park in Munshiganj, officials said.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith in his budget speech on June 4 said the government has plan to establish 100 EZs across the country in next 15 years to raise export earnings by $40 billion and create employment for some 10 million people.  
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