Govt plans rail link for all EZs starting with Mirsarai

The government has undertaken a major initiative to establish railway connectivity with all economic zones (EZs) across the country, including the National Special Economic Zone in Chattogram's Mirsarai, to make goods transportation faster, cheaper and more efficient, reports UNB.

"We are preparing an integrated plan for all economic zones in the country with focus on Mirsarai. Our goal is to connect each economic zone directly to railway lines to facilitate smooth goods transportation," said Sheikh Moinuddin, Chief Adviser's Special Assistant on the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges and the Ministry of Railways.

"Currently, goods have to be transported by trucks to reach the train. We want to ensure that containers or goods can be loaded directly onto trains from all economic zones. This will save both time and cost while also making industrial operations more efficient," he added.

According to officials, a comprehensive master plan is being prepared to link all economic zones directly with the country's railway, road and port networks. "This will add a new dimension to the national transport system," Sheikh Moinuddin said.

Once implemented, he said, the initiative would significantly strengthen Bangladesh's industrialisation drive, boost exports and improve the overall goods transportation system.

Bangladesh has been developing economic zones to accelerate industrial growth, attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and create large-scale employment opportunities.

The previous government set an ambitious target to establish 100 economic zones by 2025, but the current administration is prioritising the development of five fully operational EZs to ensure effective delivery.

The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has already prepared a two-year roadmap to make these five zones fully functional.