With the pandemic hitting hard the economy as an external shock, the government gives an immense importance to investments, both local and foreign ones, for ensuring a balanced development and improving business environment in the country. “The government will take effective steps to build infrastructures and provide other policy supports to improve the investment-friendly environment,” says an official document obtained by UNB. To increase investments and create jobs, it says, steps have been taken to establish 100 Economic Zones across the country, which will provide employment opportunities for nearly one crore people. Approval has already been given for the establishment of 97 Economic Zones. Read Bangladesh’s economic progress continues despite pandemic: Minister The document says production has already begun in nine economic zones and the development work on 28 economic zones is under way, creating jobs for around 40,000 people. “Employment opportunities will be created for another 8 lakh people,” it says. As of now, investment proposals, worth US$ 27.07 billion, from 210 investors have been submitted for these economic zones. “Of the total amount, about US$ 1.60 billion is foreign investment.” The largest Economic Zone in the public sector 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Industrial City' is being developed in Mirsarai, Sonagazi and Sitakunda upazilas on 30,000 acres of land as a modern industrial zone. Also read: Coronavirus: Experts for prudent economic recovery plan for Bangladesh To woo investors, seminars, workshops, roadshows and tradeshows are being organised and sponsored both at home and abroad. Through these arrangements, as per the document, Bangladesh can identify new investors, which will help augment the investment. More importantly, the document says, the government is laying special emphasis on the implementation of projects under Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to attract investment required for the implementation of the government's development plans. Also read: ‘Bangladesh economy shows signs of positive growth’ despite global recession At present, as many as 76 projects are scheduled to be implemented under the PPP, against which the investment worth US$ 27.76 billion has been mobilised. One project under PPP has already been implemented and six more projects are under implementation.