Tofail blames \\\'bad politics\\\' for problem with KEPZ

Attributing the ongoing battle between the government and KEPZ to ‘bad political culture’, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed has assured Youngone Corporation of resolving the issue soon to attract more foreign investment to Bangladesh. Describing the history of land allocation to the Youngone Corporation for the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) during then Awami League-led government (1996-2001), he said the following regime (BNP-led 4-party govt) suspected why land was allocated. Tofail said the current government is now looking into the matter saying, ‘this is very bad political culture…sorry to say.’ The Commerce Minister said this while addressing a dialogue held in a city hotel. He mentioned that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the ground-breaking of KEPZ on October 31, 1999, had pledged full support for the zone. However, the next government did follow the land transfer deed for the land in Anwara Upazila of Chittagong to the KEPZ owner, Korean Youngone Corporation. The South Korea-based company was allocated over 2,400 acres 17 years ago to set up Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), according to a news agency.