The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has received investment proposals amounting to around US$20.13 billion from 153 investors for the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) in Chattogram for setting up their factories, reports BSS.
The zones authority has already allocated over 6,000 acres of land among the investors.
In BSMSN, BEZA has already allocated a total of 6,131 acres of land among the investors, including Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) Economic Zone, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Garments Village and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Zone, according to an official of BEZA.
The official said China based Zhuzhou Jinyuan Chemical Industry Company Limited, Japan based world renowned Nippon Steel and Bangladeshi MacDonald Steel Building Product Limited (joint venture), Indian Asian Paints BD Limited, Mango Teleservices Limited and Modern Syntex Limited are setting up their factories in the industrial park.
Talking to BSS, BEZA executive chairman Shaikh Yusuf Harun said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar is one of the most suitable sites for setting up industrial establishments in the country.
He said it is along the strategic location of Dhaka-Chattogram industrial corridor as business and living cost are significantly lower at Mirsarai as well as in Chattogram division than other developing cities in the world.
“With a high quality business friendly environment, it has positive impacts and contributions in shaping Chattogram into a leading regional business hub,” he added.
He expressed his optimism that the BSMSN, the first planned industrial city of the country, would pave the way to establish a truly world-class business and industrial centre.
BEZA is developing the industrial city with a view to encouraging rapid economic development through increase and diversification of industry, employment, production and export.
The industrial city is being developed on around 30,000 acres of land touching three upazilas- Mirsarai, Sitakundu and Sonagazi- under Chattogram and Feni districts respectively. It is located on the mouth of river Feni covering 25 kilometers of coast lines of Sandeep channel of the Bay of Bengal. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the EZ on 28 February 2016.
BEZA is in the process of developing a comprehensive master plan including incorporating sea port, rail connectivity, marine drive, residential area, tourism park, power plant, hospital, school and university for developing this self-contained industrial city.
Various types of industries, including garments and its supporting industries, agro-products and agro-processing products, integrated textiles, leather and leather goods, shipbuilding, motorbike assembly, food and beverage, pint and chemical, paper and products, plastics, light engineering (including auto-parts and bicycles), pharmaceutical products, power and solar park will be set up in the industrial city.
The city is expected to create employment opportunities for 1.5 million people in next 15 years and ensure $15 billion export from this industrial enclave.
