The businessmen of West Bengal have shown their interest to invest in the economic zones in Bangladesh.
The visiting leaders of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed such interest during a view-exchange meeting with the executive chairman of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Shaikh Yusuf Harun at the BEZA office recently in the capital’s Agargaon area.
A 20-member delegation of the Bengal Chamber, led by its president Gautom Roy, is currently visiting Bangladesh to identify the potential investment sectors.
BEZA general manager Md Hasan Arif made a power-point presentation on the overall operations of BEZA in the view-exchange meeting, said a press release.
Speaking on the occasion, the BEZA executive chairman said that economic zones are being set up across the country for industrialization. He said they are expecting to fetch additional export receipts of $40 billion per year by 2030 from these economic zones.
Harun said that some 38 firms have already started their commercial operations at the economic zones of which 5 are in the government economic zones while 33 are in private economic zones.
He mentioned that the operations of the country’s first planned and smart economic zone Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar are going on in full pace while all kinds of necessary utilities have also been ensured there.
As per the proposed investment proposals, there will be an investment of $17.50 billion in that economic zone.
Responding to the queries of the Bengal Chamber delegation, the BEZA executive chairman said that BEZA has so far set up two economic zones — one in Mongla and another one in Mirersarai — in Chattogram for the Indian investors.
He informed that the BEZA is also working to create scopes for investment at bordering districts like Kushtia, Panchagarh, Bogura, and Nilphamari.
Many Indian conglomerates like Asian Paints, Marico have already invested in the economic zones in Bangladesh.
During the meeting, the leaders of Bengal Chamber raised the issue of tax holiday in jewelry industry, the nature of investment, export and import regulations and other related matters.
Besides, they have also showed their interest to invest in the country’s manufacturing, engineering, energy, power, IT, education, modern agriculture management, ship building and services sector.
Bengal Chamber President Gautom Roy said that they have much interest to invest in the country’s economic zones while they are also looking forward to have fruitful discussions in this regard in the future.
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