The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) has primarily dropped 10 economic zones out of planned 97 in line with a government decision to cut the numbers.
At a press conference, Beza’s Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury told the media that the decision was taken at a meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on Sunday.
The list of cancelled economic zones include five government economic zones and five private economic zones, meeting sources said.
The cancelled government economic zones are: Sonadia Eco Tourism Park, Cox’s Bazar; Sundarban Tourism, Bagerhat; Gajaria Economic Zone, Munshiganj; Shreepur Economic Zone, Gazipur; and Mymensingh Economic Zone, Ishwarganj Mymensingh.
The cancelled private economic zones are: ‘Garments Industries Park’ proposed by BGMEA, Munshiganj; Chatak Economic Zone, Sunamganj; Famkam Economic Zone, Bagerhat; City Special Economic Zone, Dhaka; and Sonargaon Economic Zone, Narayanganj.
During the previous government, Beza approved to establish 97 economic zones – 68 government and 29 private – nationwide.
“I have already said earlier that there is no need for 100 economic zones. Today, the licenses of 10 economic zones have been canceled. We think that these are not needed,” Ashik, also executive chairman of Bida, said.
“If economic zones are approved in the future, an inter-ministerial meeting will be held and ministries will have to commit that they will be able to properly provide their services to the economic zones. What happens now is that economic zones are approved, but investors do not get proper services year after year,” he further stated.
While speaking about the success of the four-day investment summit held in Dhaka recenty, Ashik said Bangladesh received Tk3,100 crore investment proposal from it and six MoUs were signed.
On top of that, the main objective of the event was to change the perceptions of the foreigners about Bangladesh, Ashik noted.
“Most of the foreigners, who visited the country for the first time, said that it is not possible to know about Bangladesh and its dynamic people without physically visiting it,” he said, adding that some 415 foreign delegates from 50 countries attended the event.
The BIDA Executive Chairman said they wanted to give the investors the right experience so that they talk about Bangladesh positively.
The Bida will maintain follow-up communication with attendees to ensure progress along the investment pipeline.
Besides, the government is working on a plan whether the foreign investors can be provided with incentives like that of inward remittances, Ashik told reporters.
Nahiyan Rahman Rochi, head of Business Development at Bida, shared additional statistics of the summit.
Around Tk 5 crore was spent to organise the four-day Summit, of which around Tk 1.5 crore came from the government and the remaining Tk 3.5 crore from partner organisations.
The BIDA Executive Chairman said the big political parties and their leaderships were completely aligned with the Summit.
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder were, among others, were present at the press conference.