While the largest industrial zone in the country, located in Mirsarai, Chittagong, is preparing to support industries in commencing production, some factories have already initiated manufacturing. However, those who acquired plots for apparel units have found the zone to be far from ready and have opted to stay away.
Reports claimed this adding to date, only 41 garment factories have leased 239 acres within the 500-acre garment village in the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar.
This arrangement was established in 2018 through a partnership between the Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (Beza) and the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
Despite this, none of these factories have reportedly demonstrated a strong interest in establishing their operations in this zone.
In fact, some have reportedly withdrawn from their initial plans and cancelled their leases, citing insufficient progress in developing essential infrastructure, such as access roads and basic utilities required for investment.
A similar agreement was signed by Beza with the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) four years ago, but as of now, there has been no significant progress.
Shahidullah Azim, the vice president of BGMEA, expressed his concerns by stating, “So far, no facilities have been provided for us. The land is still about six feet below road level. There is no gas or electricity. There is also no arrangement for workers to reside in or commute to and from work.”
