The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday deferred approval of a long-pending project to build support infrastructure for the proposed Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) in Chattogram’s Anwara, more than a decade after the initiative was first taken up.
The project, with an estimated cost of Tk 4,189 crore, was placed at the Ecnec meeting held at the Secretariat but was not approved, as the government seeks further engagement with the Chinese side before taking a final decision.
Planning Commission officials said the prime minister wants to hold detailed discussions with Chinese representatives on key aspects of the project. The proposal will be reconsidered after those consultations.
The project summary was not taken up for substantive discussion during the meeting. Officials said the matter drew the prime minister’s attention, prompting a decision to review it more thoroughly at a later stage.
The CEIZ is planned on about 800 acres in Anwara under a government-to-government arrangement between Bangladesh and China. Its location—close to the Karnaphuli tunnel, Chattogram port and Shah Amanat International Airport—is seen as strategically important for attracting export-oriented investment.
The initiative dates back to 2014, when the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the zone. Although land acquisition was completed in 2016, progress stalled for years due to complications over developer selection, financing modalities and administrative procedures.
China Harbour Engineering Company was initially considered as the developer, but the absence of a final agreement halted the process. In 2022, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) was nominated by Beijing as the new developer.
The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) says preparations to sign the developer agreement are now in the final stage.
Under the latest revised development project proposal (DPP), the infrastructure component is slated for implementation between January 2027 and December 2031.
Of the total cost, Tk 1,722 crore will come from government funds, while Tk 2,467 crore is expected to be financed through China’s preferential buyer’s credit.
The proposed works include a 1,235-metre jetty link road with a 330-metre bridge, a 1,181-metre four-lane road, a central effluent treatment plant with a capacity of 25 million litres, and a multipurpose jetty capable of handling vessels of up to 20,000 deadweight tonnage.
Gas, power and water supply facilities, along with a boundary wall stretching nearly 12 kilometres, are also part of the plan.
Officials said land acquisition has already been completed, allowing construction to begin once the developer agreement is finalised and the project receives approval.
Beza Executive Chairman Ashiq Chowdhury recently said discussions with the Chinese side have made “significant progress”, with both governments treating the project as a priority.
The government expects the zone to create around 100,000 direct and indirect jobs and draw roughly $500 million in foreign investment, particularly in textiles, pharmaceuticals and light engineering.