Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) is developing Mirsarai Economic Zone (MEZ), the largest industrial zone in the country to generate more than 150,000 new jobs.
“Foreign and local investors have already proposed investing around US $ 10 billion in various sectors including readymade garments, shipbuilding, food processing, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), steel, cycle and power plants and it will generate more than 150,000 new employment opportunities,” said Dr. M Emdadul Haque, Executive Member of BEZA.
The MEZ is the first economic zone in the country that will incorporate a residential area, a power plant, a hospital, a park, seaport, a school and a university.
Talking to the Apparel Resources, Haque shared, “The size of the MEZ is 30,000 acres. The Government and BEZA have taken this project to take forward the country’s booming industries including the lifeline of the economy – readymade garment industry.”
Haque also said that 10 world-class five-star hotels would be built inside the MEZ to facilitate the stay of foreign and local investors. About employment generation from the MEZ, he replied that the MEZ is expected to create approximate 3 million jobs over the next 10 years. It would have the capacity to export goods worth US $ 2 billion.
However, manufacturing industries including the readymade garment industry, especially those that are labour-intensive, are required to boost employment generation and the economy as well.
It could be mentioned here that the BEZA has been working to set up 100 economic zones by 2030, which would create jobs for one crore people and produce goods and services worth US $ 40 billion. It has identified 74 locations across the country for setting up economic zones.
