The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

A total of 78 companies signed investment agreements worth US dollar 1,404 million during the last fiscal year to set up various industrial units in the country's eight Export Processing Zones (EPZs).

Besides, US dollar 302.19 million actual investments were made in 283 running industrial units in these EPZs, officials of Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) said here on Friday.

They also said that the trend of investment in 2007-08 was 148 percent higher than the previous year's level when the actual investment increased by 98 percent.

During the last fiscal year, the actual investment was US dollar 126.46 million at Chittagong EPZ, US dollar 110.34 million at Dhaka EPZ, US dollar 9.72 million at Comilla EPZ, US dollar 33.71 million at Adamjee EPZ, US dollar 0.15 million at Uttara EPZ, US dollar 18.34 million at Karnaphuli EPZ, US dollar 1.43 million at Ishurdi EPZ, and US dollar 2.03 million at Mongla EPZ.

The total actual investment in the EPZs till June this year amounted to US dollar 1,434.45 million, the officials said adding that the industries in the EPZs exported products worth US dollar 2,429.58 million in 2007-08. It was US dollar 2,063.67 million during the 2006-07 financial year.

During the last fiscal year, a total of 140 industrial units at Chittagong EPZ exported products worth US dollar 1,117.17 million, while 96 units at Dhaka EPZ exported goods worth US dollar 1,146.50 million, 18 units at Comilla EPZ US dollar 131.38 million, 12 units at Mongla EPZ US dollar 8.26 million, 5 units at Uttara EPZ US dollar 0.95 million, 3 units at Ishurdi EPZ US dollar 1.21 million, 5 units at Adamjee EPZ US dollar 15.10 million and 4 units at Karnaphuli US dollar 9.86 million.

The total number of workers in these EPZs is 2,18,299 and another 400,000 are indirectly doing various jobs there, the officials said.

As many as 17,130 Bangladeshi workers got employment in different units of these EPZs during the last fiscal year. Of them, 6,805 workers were employed at Chittagong EPZ, 1,029 at Dhaka EPZ, 218 at Mongla EPZ, 1,672 at Comilla EPZ, 388 at Uttara EPZ, 4,173 at Adamjee EPZ, 29 at Ishurdi EPZ, and 2,816 at Karnaphuli EPZ.

Six private companies signed agreements as Service Oriented Industry to operate and maintain six power plants with 50 MW capacity each at six EPZs to generate a total 300 MW electricity. Some foreign firms have also applied for setting up power plants in other EPZs, they said.

After these power plants are established, the officials said uninterrupted power supply will be ensured in these industrial unites of the EPZs. Besides, they added, excess power could be added to the national grid after meeting demands in the EPZs.

The officials said that the private companies would be offered for establishing water treatment plants and effluent treatment plants in the EPZs.