The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

A public move to set up an industrial park at city suburb 'Barabkund' mainly for promoting the emerging women entrepreneurs is learnt to have been finalized.

Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CWCC&I) entered in partnership with the Ministry of Industries in implementing the project with high hope for taping foreign exchange.

Informed sources hinted that the ground development work of the proposed park would commence within next couple of months and a year time has initially been estimated for the project to become ready for factual use.

Under the partnership charter, the women entrepreneurs will get priority for setting up small and medium scale industries apart from the half-a-decade tax holiday privilege.

The comprehensive industrial park will have helipad, market, buying house, and instant power backup apart from the regular utility coverage.

Knitting, Pharmaceuticals, Garment Accessories, food Beverage, Computer Accessories, Furniture, Textile, Confectionary, Agro products, Packaging Accessories, Pipe, Consumer Goods, Digital Printing Solution, Washing plants, Spices Processing, Poultry Feed and Processing unit will be welcomed.

Nearly 200 women entrepreneurs will get plots at the proposed park of nearly 10 acres. The industrial park may generate employments for 15000 people over the next eight to 15 years.

Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) and Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry after the feasibility study have selected the land for the project, which is currently under the possession of the BSCIC.

Sources attached to the project said, the investors at the park would also get facilities like working capital, soft loan as well as duty free import for capital machineries.

Besides, there will be a 17-storied building to be built at the site of now abandoned BSCIC building at Shagarika to better serve the entrepreneurs.

Welcoming the project Sitara Pervin, an entrepreneur of Frozen Fish, said they had become pleased to know about the project, which would certainly help women entrepreneurs much.

'We've first introduced the concept that the women would be industrialists and could have contribution in the national economy," said Monowara Hakim Ali, president of Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce.