Mongla Economic Zone opens up to investors
More foreign countries are showing interest to set up exclusive economic zones in Bangladesh
Multinational company Unilever and some other concerns of Sikder Group were handed over the allotment of the plots of Mongla Economic Zone.
More foreign countries are showing interest to set up exclusive economic zones in Bangladesh, Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Advisor Salman F Rahman said on Monday.
On 205 acres of land near Mongla Port, Power Pac Economic Zone (pvt) Ltd, a concern of local conglomerate Sikder Group, set up the country's first private economic zone at Mongla.
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The area is located within one kilometre of Mongla port and 20 kilometres of Bagerhat's Hazrat Khanzahan Ali airport.
"To invest in Bangladesh, after China, Japan and India, many more countries including, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea, are showing interest to set up economic zones," said Salam while unveiling the prospectus of Power Pac Economic Zone (pvt) Ltd (PPEZL) at an "Investment Promotion" function at a city hotel.
Principal Coordinator on SDG Affairs at the Prime Minister's Office Abul Kalam Azad, Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury, Executive Member Mohammad Ayub; and Power Pac Economic Zone (pvt) Limited Managing Director Ron Haque Sikder also addressed the function, among others.
The Mongla Economic Zone is complete and ready for setting-up of industries, PPEZL officials said, elaborating that about 44 percent of the plots have already been allocated to different industries while the remaining 56 percent are being offered to interested local and international investors.
The government initiated the move for setting up 100 economic zones, said Kalam, to ensure utility services to industries through the one-stop service centre.
Setting-up of the economic zone was a great challenge for the government as initially there was no response from investors, said Paban while appreciating Power Pac.
"After a series of failures, now it has become a lucrative venture for foreign investors to invest in the economic zones,", Paban explained adding that now many more economic zones are being set up in places including Mirsarai, Sylhet, Munshiganj and Barisal.
