A trade body has identified the delay in land acquisition process as one of the bottlenecks for the development of economic zones (EZs) in the county.
The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) also stressed the need for ensuring direct road and waterways connectivity with such zones to reap the optimal benefits from the zoning regime.
The issue came up for discussion on Monday at a meeting between the state-run Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and the Dhaka chamber.
President of the DCCI Abul Kasem Khan led the chamber delegation at the BEZA office in Dhaka.
"We need to sort out the challenges like land development, delay in land acquisition process, approval of master plan, inadequate utility services and backward communication and infrastructure for the development of economic zones," he said.
He said such zones should get guaranteed supplies of gas and power at a subsidised rate.
He suggested that the entire power and gas connection and supply process need to be expedited within 60 days, especially for the zones.
Mr Khan also said that a synergy can be made between the PPP Authority and BEZA in facilitating new foreign and private investment for the development of economic zones.
BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury said that the BEZA is planning to have 0.1 million acres (one lakh acres) of land in hand for establishing 100 zones across the country.
The agency has already acquired some 75,000 acres of land in its custody, he said, adding it had already given licences of six economic zones to the private sector out of 11.
The authority has already reformed the relevant legal framework for easing investment in the zones.
He also said that with technical support from JICA, the BEZA is going to establish a one-stop service desk, which will be fully operational by December this year.
The authority has received investment commitment of US$17 billion in the last seven months, of which US$8.0 billion as foreign direct investment (FDI).
He said the Mirsarai Economic Zone had the capacity to get investments of about US$25 billion.
In Cox's Bazar, the authority will establish an economic zone on an area of 24,000 acres, of which some 4,000 acres will be allocated for industrial establishments and 20,000 acres for a park to develop the tourism industry there, he said.
DCCI senior vice-president Kamrul Islam, vice-president Riyadh Hossain, former president Hossain Khaled, directors Hossain A Sikder, Nuher L. Khan, Humayun Rashid, Md. Al Amin, Waqar Ahmad Choudhury and Zillur Rahman were also present.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
