Dhaka – The government approved on Thursday four more private economic zones to expedite the country’s economic activity and create more employment opportunities.
These private economic zones will be set up in Madaripur, Faridpur, Noakhali and Kishoreganj districts.
The approval was given at the 5th meeting of the governing council of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) held at Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) with Prime Minister and Chairman of the council Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.
He said while addressing the meeting Sheikh Hasina urged the officials to work sincerely for construction of the economic zones for the country’s overall development.
“To protect agricultural land from unplanned industrialization, the government has taken a plan to put together industries in one place through providing various utility services,” she said adding that the investors will have to invest in the areas dedicated for industries.
The agricultural lands have to be protected to provide food to 16 crore people, she said adding that unplanned industrialisation also causes environmental degradation.
Finance Minister AMA Abdul Muhith, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Railways Minister Mujibul Haque, State Minister for Land Shamsur Rahman Sharif, Science and Technology Minister Yafez Osman, State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid, State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibur Rahman Chunnu, Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir, leaders of private sector industries and trade bodies and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.
Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury made a presentation on the progress of BEZA activities and its future plan.
The meeting decided in principle to enact the ‘Bangladesh Economic Zone (one-step services) Act’ aimed at giving services to all local and foreign investors by different agencies more effectively, he said.
The meeting also discussed the draft of a policy for constituting Bangladesh Economic Zones (creation and operation of Economic Zones Welfare Fund).
The meeting discussed a proposal on a new tariff regime for land in special economic zones and decided to provide land to the investors in a competitive price considering present global investment scenario.
The government has taken the initiative to construct 100 special economic zones across the country on 75,000 acres of land by 2030 to spur planned industrial development stopping the indiscriminate use of agricultural land. -UNB
