The World Bank, together with UK-DFID and IFC, is supporting the government of Bangladesh to develop economic zones through the Private Sector Development Support Project (PSDSP). Economic zones are a strategic instrument for attracting domestic and foreign investment, creating jobs and accelerating growth, said a press release. Besides, the PSDSP also provides support to the Jobs and Competitiveness Task Force which was established by the Prime Minister in March 2013, the press release said. The Task Force decided in a meeting on February 5 in the Prime Minister’s Office to create a Special Action Team to shore up the capacity of the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and to add three members to the Task Force from the ministries of Commerce, Finance, and Industry. Although delayed, the PSDSP has progressed in some key areas. For its pipeline of possible economic zone projects, BEZA has nearly completed the feasibility studies for three of the sites: in Sherpur, Sylhet, and Mirsarai and Anwara in Chittagong. The studies will be used as a tool for attracting private zone developers to those sites, so the BEZA is now working on developing a marketing strategy for using these studies. A proposed economic zone in Mongla in Bagerhat requires the land for the site to be transferred to BEZA, for which the organisation is urgently seeking a de-notification of the zoning from the municipality. The Hi-Tech Park Authority (HTPA) is in the process of re-tendering the development of the Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park. In the meantime it continues to construct infrastructure for the project such as the perimeter and internal road system which are projected to be completed by July of this year. It is also preparing Jessore IT Park bids for the construction of the multi-tenanted building for private management and a long list of potential projects in Khulna, Sylhet and Chittagong district, according to UNB.
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