In the National Special Economic Zone (NSEZ) in Chattogram, twelve further businesses in the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) Economic Zone (EZ) are anticipated to begin commercial operations by 2025.
With a total estimated investment of $913.17 million, 41 businesses have so far agreed to establish industries in the BEPZA EZ in Chattogram’s Mirersarai, with the goal of creating 1,31,577 job possibilities.
In addition to clothing, the companies will manufacture a wide range of commodities, such as footwear accessories, packaging materials, finished lubricants, camping gear, outdoor products, tents, clothing accessories, hair fashion accessories, cotton products, hospital supplies, bags, mattresses, socks, and more.
Among the 41 companies, four have already commenced their commercial operations.
In a recent interview with BSS, BEPZA Executive Chairman Major GeneralAbul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman said the development works of the BEPZA EZ will be completed within this year.
“The EZ has been able to achieve good response from foreign investors,especially from Chinese investors. Many investors have already inked land lease agreements while many are in pipeline. The construction works of 18 firms are going on in the EZ, out of them, 10-12 firms are expected to go into commercial operation within this year,” he added.
He said Chinese investment in this EZ is rising, driven partly by tariff policies imposed by the USA and the competitive labour market.
Product diversification as well as high-end and tech-based products is being priorities at the economic zone, he added.
Ziaur Rahman said BEPZA evaluates several things, including proposed investments, employment opportunities, export potential, as well as production factors such as product types, whether the production process will leave any negative impact on the environment, and how much electricity, water, and gas will be required, before approving any application.
According to BEPZA, out of 41 companies from various countries, 24 of them are being Chinese firms.
Between August 2024 and March 2025, BEPZA received proposals from 34 potential Chinese investors. From July 2024 to March 2025, eight Chinese companies signed lease agreements, with a proposed investment of $153.82 million.
These companies have plans to manufacture solar accessories, bags, luggage,light engineering products, readymade garments, silicon dioxide, flexible intermediate bulk containers and packaging.
Ziaur Rahman expected that Chinese investment will thrive for diversifyingbeyond readymade garments into sectors such as renewable energy and raw material production for solar panels.
According to him, more foreign investors, especially those from China, are anticipated to attend the Bangladesh Investment Summit-2025, which is set for April 7–10.
The BEPZA chief expressed satisfaction with the state of law and order in Bangladesh after the August uprising and transition last year, stating that the government’s stringent measures and initiatives have brought the situation down to a satisfactory level and that foreign investors are now flocking to invest here.
“Many Chinese and Korean investors have already invested in the EPZs. We’re now also looking for investments from European countries and also from the rest of the world. Due to improvement in the image of the country, I think, European and other nations will also increase their investments here,” he added.
BEPZA is a government body empowered and responsible for the creation, development, operation and management of industrial zone like Export Processing Zone as well as promoting investment in Bangladesh.
BEPZA has a stellar record of bringing in investment from 38 nations to its nine zones over the last 40 years, regularly producing 18–20% of the nation’s yearly exports.
The following are the nine zones: Adamjee EPZ, Karnaphuli EPZ, Uttara EPZ, Ishwardi EPZ, Cumilla EPZ, Chattogram EPZ, Dhaka EPZ, Mongla EPZ, and BEPZA EZ.
The master plan states that 539 industrial plots on 1,138.55 acres of NSEZ property have been designated as the BEPZA EZ.
