BEZA targets 100,000 more acres of land for economic zones in Bangladesh

After acquiring 75,000 acres of land and giving licenses for six economic zones to the private sector, the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) is targeting the acquisition of an additional 100,000 acres of land to establish 100 economic zones across Bangladesh, BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury said on Monday. BEZA has also already reformed some of the concerned legal framework to boost investment in economic zones (EZs), and received investment commitments amounting to $17 billion over the last 7 months, he added. The BEZA chairman made the statements when called on by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) board of directors, led by its President Abul Kasem Khan, at the BEZA office. Executive Members of BEZA Mohammed Ayub and Md Harunur Rashid were also present. During the discussion, the DCCI President had said there needed to be an improvement in communication, infrastructure, transportation, and tax systems for proper implementation of EZs. He also stressed the need for synergy between the Public Private Partnership Authority and BEZA to facilitate foreign and private investment for EZ development, as well as to promote the EZs to attract potential foreign investors. DCCI Senior Vice President Kamrul Islam, FCA, Vice President Riyadh Hossain, former President Hossain Khaled, and directors Hossain A Sikder, Nuher L Khan, Humayun Rashid, Md Al Amin, Waqar Ahmad Choudhury and Zillur Rahman were also present.