Bangladesh and Bhutan on Monday (March 25, 2024) signed three new memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to enhance mutual cooperation between the two neighbouring countries. The MoUs are: Establishment of a Special Economic Zone in Kurigram, Setting up a Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit in Thimphu, and technical cooperation on consumer rights. Another MoU on cultural exchange was renewed. Japan extends Tk 33.5 million to 2 grassroots human security projects Health Minister Smanta Lal Sen, Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Shaikh Yusuf Harun, Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection Director General (Additional Secretary) A.H.M. Shafiquzzaman and Cultural Affairs Secretary Khalil Ahmed signed the MoUs from Bangladesh side. Bhutanese Health Minister Tandin Wangchuk, Bhutanese Commerce Secretary Tashi Wangmk and Bhutanese Foreign Secretary Pema Choden signed the MoUs on behalf of their country. Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina witnessed the MoU signing agreement held at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Besides, Bangladesh offered to increase the number of annual medical seats for Bhutanese students from 22 to 30 while the foreign service academy of Bangladesh offered two seats for the Bhutanese foreign service officers every year for capacity building.  Bangladesh will also extend necessary assistance in setting up a Diplomatic Training Institute in Bhutan. Apart from this,  Bangladesh offered special training to Bhutanese officials in Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) annually for three years. Sweden will remain a steadfast partner to Bangladesh: Minister Johan Forssell As a special gesture of goodwill and friendship, Bangladesh handed over computers and laptops for the capacity building and skills development of the government officials of Bhutan. Earlier, on his arrival, the Bhutanese King was received by the Prime Minister at her office. The Bhutanese King held a delegation-level meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina prior to the MoU signing ceremony. They will also had a one-to-one meeting. S Korea highlights importance of Economic Partnership Agreement with Bangladesh

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (December 06, 2022) officially opened Bangladesh Special Economic Zone (widely known as the “Japanese Economic Zone”) at Araihazar in Narayanganj. She joined the event virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban in Dhaka. According to Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), the Japanese Economic Zone would draw USD 1.5 billion investment and create more than one lakh jobs. Forty foreign companies, including 30 Japanese, have expressed interest to invest there, BEZA said. Noting that an excellent investment climate prevails in Bangladesh, PM Hasina said, “I think Bangladesh is the most attractive destination for investment. We are offering the highest (investment) opportunities and facilities.” Read: Women entrepreneurs can avail special opportunities in economic zones: PM She also said that women entrepreneurs can avail special opportunities at the country’s economic zones. “If women entrepreneurs come forward, we will give them special opportunities. Separate plots will be provided for them.” Sheikh Hasina said her government has been working for the overall development of the nation through planned industrialization, while protecting arable land and the environment. The PM said foreign entrepreneurs are also expressing interest to make investments in the country. “In terms of geographic location, Bangladesh is perfectly positioned to be a bridge between the East and the West,” she said. Read: Stop arms race, use resources for health, education: PM to global leaders Sheikh Hasina said her government has been strengthening connectivity with South Asia and Southeast Asia – two most densely populated regions with a large market of 300 crore people. Besides, the government has increased the purchasing power of people – a market of 17 crore people, she added. The PM said the government is also offering special facilities for young entrepreneurs so that they can make investments in the economic zones. She opened the commercial operation of the Japanese Economic Zone, being developed on 1000 acres of land under the joint venture of Bangladesh and Japan. Executive Chairman of BEZA, Shaikh Yusuf Harun, in his welcome speech, said the inauguration of Bangladesh Special Economic Zone would open a new era for attracting Japanese and other foreign investments to Bangladesh. Read: Bangladesh a role model for women's participation in UN peacekeeping: PM Hasina He said Singer, a renowned company, has already started the construction of its factory in the economic zone. Harun also said two Japanese companies were going to sign agreements after the opening ceremony to set up their factories in the economic zone. Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki and President of Sumitomo Corporation Masayuki Hyodo also spoke on the occasion. BEZA and Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation are jointly working to develop the economic zone. The process of the joint venture started with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Japan in 2014. Read: Karnaphuli Tunnel first such project in South Asia: PM Hasina

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has urged Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) to speed up construction of the garment village at Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar in Mirsarai, Chattogram to make it operational for industries in the shortest possible time. If the industrial plots get ready, apparel factories would be able to go into operation and create employment opportunities for a huge number of people while bringing foreign exchange as export earnings, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said during a meeting with BEZA at its office in Dhaka Monday (November 28, 2022). Read more: BGMEA wants increased police vigilance to stop RMG goods theft during transportation Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman were present as chief guest at the meeting chaired by BEZA Executive Chairman Shaikh Yusuf Harun. Former BGMEA president Md Siddiqur Rahman; BGMEA vice-presidents Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Md Nasir Uddin, and Director Md M Mohiuddin Chowdhury were also present at the meeting. Faruque said completion of the industrial site would help RMG exporters to set up factories and thus contribute to propelling the industrial growth in Bangladesh. Read More: BGMEA for ensuring workers' health, well-being for improving productivity

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the commercial operations of 14 industrial units and lay the foundation stones for the infrastructures development of 29 more factories inside the economic zones on Wednesday. Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Shaikh Yusuf Harun informed this while addressing a view-exchange meeting organized jointly by the BEZA and the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) on Sunday. Among them, commercial operations of four industries at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) will open for commercial operation. These are Asian Paints of India, Nippon of Japan, McDonald of Bangladesh, and TK Group’s associate Samuda Construction Limited. The BSMSN was constructed over an area of 30,000 acres of land in Mirsarai and Sitakunda Upazilas of Chattogram and Sonagazi upazila of Feni. The factory of Double Glazing would also be inaugurated at Srihotto Economic Zone on the day. Besides, the commercial operation of some nine industrial units in the private Economic Zones would also be inaugurated. Among them the country’s biggest PVC factory. Read: EPZs saw all-time high export, investment, job growth in FY22: Bepza In order to go into commercial operation, some $967.73 million has already been invested in some 14 factories while the concerned industry owners informed that they have plans to invest $331.27 million more in those factories. Harun informed that the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stones of some 29 factories which have already attracted an investment of $610 million, while $1.9 billion more would be invested in those factories. These industries have already created employment opportunities for some 6,407 people, while another 38,658 jobs would be created in those factories. The Project Director of the BSMSN Abdullah Al Mahmud Faruk made a Powerpoint presentation on the overall operations and progress of its activities in the function. Presided over by ERF President Sharmeen Rinvy, BEZA General Manager (Administration) Hasan Arif, and other high officials were present among others. ERF general secretary SM Rashidul Islam moderated the view-exchange meeting.

The annual performance agreements (APAs) 2022-23 were signed between the prime minister's office and its attached seven agencies including Ashrayan-2 project on Thursday. PMO senior secretary Tofazzel Hossain Miah and the heads of the agencies inked the agreements on behalf of their respective sides at the PMO. In the APAs, the seven agencies made different commitments over their performances for the fiscal year of 2022-23. Also read: Increase oxygen supply, Corona beds: PMO Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus and Principal Coordinator for SDG Affairs at the PMO Zuena Aziz spoke at the signing event presided over by Tofazzel Hossain Miah. The seven agencies are Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA), Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA), National Skills Development Authority (NSDA), Public Private Partnership (PPP) Authority, NGO Affairs Bureau and Ashrayan-2 Project. The APA is a result-based working plan to reach the desired goal through increasing the efficiency and accountability of the public servant. In the 2014-15 fiscal year, the Awami League government introduced the APA method in a bid to get better performance from all the ministries and divisions. In the process, all the subordinate departments, agencies or offices also sign the APAs with their respective ministries, divisions or higher offices.

The progress of setting up Special Economic Zones (SEZ) has slowed down due to complexities in land acquisition and development activities due to the impact of Covid-19. The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) was established by law in 2010, with the aim to establish 100 economic zones by 2030 across the country. Special focus would be given to backward and underdeveloped regions to encourage rapid economic development through diversification of industry, employment, production and export’. The Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in a survey report recently expressed their concern over the slow pace of SEZs project implementation. Read: NBR slaps additional duty on 135 luxury items to discourage import  The organization represents investors from a total of 35 countries. About 90 percent of the total foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country comes from FICCI members. The companies have investments in banking, non-bank financial institutions, cement, ceramics, chemicals, construction, housing, consulting, fast-moving consumer goods, gas-electricity, leather and leather goods, clothing and transportation. According to the FICCI, the government has so far approved 97 zones, comprising 68 public and 29 private economic zones.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has urged the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) to complete all construction works of the garment village at Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar in Mirsarai, Chattogram in the quickest possible time to make it ready for setting up factories and start industrial operations.  The call was made when a delegation of BGMEA led by President Faruque Hassan visited the garment village on Saturday to see the progress of construction of its infrastructure and facilities. The BGMEA delegation included First Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam, Vice President Shahidullah Azim, Vice President (Finance) Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Vice President Md. Nasir Uddin, Vice President Rakibul Alam Chowdhury and Directors Md. M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury, A.M. Shafiul Karim (Khokon), Md. Hassan (Jacky), M. Ahsanul Hoq and Mohammed Meraj-E-Mostafa (Kaisar). READ: Cleaner, greener production cannot come at free of cost: BGMEA chief High officials of BEZA were also present on the occasion. They toured the site to observe the overall progress of the infrastructure and road construction, as well as gas, water, electricity connections, common effluent treatment plant (CETP) and other facilities.  Welcoming the government initiative of establishing the garment village, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said it would help exporters to set up more factories at a convenient place. He requested the BEZA to expedite the ongoing project works and get the plots fully ready for handover to the BGMEA members who are waiting to set up their garment factories inside the village. All facilities must be ensured so that garment factories can go into industrial operations smoothly, he said. READ: BGMEA urges LGRD Ministry to repair roads in industrial areas Once the garment village is inaugurated and fully operational, it would create employment for a huge number of people and contribute to increasing the country’s earnings from RMG exports, Faruque Hassan further said. To establish a garment village on a 500-acre site in the industrial city, BGMEA signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BEZA on 21 March 2018. The BEZA authority assured BGMEA of completing the garment village and handing over the plots in the shortest possible time.

Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) on Monday (April 12, 2021) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Business Automation Ltd to introduce one-stop services.Addressing the agreement signing event, BSCIC Chairman Mostaque Hassan hoped that the one-stop services can be introduced within this month.Describing the one-stop service as a milestone for BSCIC, he said if it can be introduced, it will help BSCIC to render quality services to entrepreneurs. Also read: BSCIC urged to take leading role towards realising Vision 2041 BSCIC Secretary Mofidul Islam and Director of Business Automation Soyeb Ahmed Masud inked the MoU on behalf of their respective sides at BSCIC Board Room.Once the one-stop services are introduced, micro, small, cottage and medium entrepreneurs will be able to avail all sorts of services including trade license, registration of land, environmental clearance, approval for construction and utility connections from a single place.Currently, there are 79 BSCIC industrial estates in the country. Besides, BSCIC has a master plan to construct 50 more industrial estates in a total of 20 acres of land in the country by 2030. Also read: BSCIC Fair underway in NetrakonaSo, the one-stop services will play a significant role in attracting local and foreign investment in the industrial estates, said a press release.    Earlier, BSCIC, an organisation under the Industries Ministry, was incorporated in the One-Stop Service Act, 2018 for attracting investors from home and abroad.Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA), Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) and Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority are also there in the One-Stop Service Act. Also read: BSCIC, Oikko Foundation to jointly work for online marketing of products

The special economic zones are changing the industrial landscape of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury has said. He said they are building  a separate SME zone at Bangabandhu Shilpanagar in Mirsarai to raise the contribution of the SMEs to the GDP. Paban Chowdhury was addressing as the chief guest at a webinar titled ‘Enabling Investment Climate to Realize Great Potential’ held recently. Citi, in partnership with Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI)  Bangladesh Center of Excellence (BCE), organised the webinar. The discussion focused on the diversification of investment, readiness of economic zones to facilitate such diversification of investments, and potential sectors for investment. The session was chaired by CCCI President Mahbubul Alam and moderated by N. Rajashekaran (Shekar), Citi Country Officer and Managing Director, Citibank, N.A. Bangladesh, said a media release on Monday. Also read: Bangladesh to see more economic zones: Salman Rahman Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, Chairman & CEO, Pran-RFL Group, Aameir Alihussain, Managing Director, BSRM Group of Companies and Miran Ali, Managing Director, Bitopi Group were among the distinguished panelists at the virtual discussion.

Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) on Monday signed agreements with four companies, including two Chinese ones to invest in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar.