Lack of gas, electricity connections delay production start at Cumilla Economic Zone: Meghna Group chairman

The Cumilla Economic Zone is unable to go to production due to lack of gas and electricity connections, Meghna Group of Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mostafa Kamal said today.

He made the remark at a pre-qualification licence receiving ceremony for the group's fourth economic zone named Titas Economic Zone in Dhaka yesterday. The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) issued the pre-qualification licence.

Mostafa Kamal said the Titas Economic Zone should not experience the same fate as the Cumilla Economic Zone did in getting gas and electricity connections.

"We have initiated necessary work, including filling the land in the new economic zone. Now, if the government starts the process of providing gas and electricity, we hope to achieve all the connections within 2-3 years, thereby facilitating the development of the zone." This will eliminate the need to wait for investment and production to start like in the Cumilla Economic Zone, he said.

Meghna Group had a target to invest $1 billion by itself at The Cumilla Economic Zone when it received the final approval from the government on 20 March 2022, he said. "But despite numerous attempts, we have been unable to secure gas and electricity connections at the Cumilla Economic Zone. Having these connections would have facilitated the production of the glass industry and steel re-rolling factories by the end of this year," said the Meghna Group chairman.

Mostafa Kamal said, "We went to the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd, Gas Transmission Company Limited and Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited to get the energy connections. As these institutions cited land requirements for the connections, we even allotted 50 bighas of land to them at the expense of up to Tk150 crore. But that has brought no result yet."

BEZA Executive Chairman Shaikh Yusuf Harun said he has tried to ensure power connections to the Cumilla Economic Zone at the earliest. "We sat with the utility service providers to expedite the process. But the process takes some time."

He further said, "We are sincere in providing services to investors. However, many services depend on other government agencies."

Currently there are three economic zones under the Meghna Group. Of them, domestic and foreign industries are producing products at Meghna Industrial Economic Zone and Meghna Economic Zone while Cumilla Economic Zone is ready for handover to investors.

The Titas Economic Zone has been established on approximately 400 acres of land on the bank of the Meghna River at Chalivanga under Meghna upazila of Cumilla. The first phase of development will focus on accommodating domestic and foreign industries on 161 acres, with expansion to the full 400 acres planned for the near future.