200 industrial plots ready, awaiting investment
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
Fields that once produced crops are now being transformed into an industrial city. Roads, drains, factories and residential buildings are being developed for an export processing zone (EPZ) in Abhaynagar upazila of Jashore. So far, 200 industrial plots have been prepared. Once factories are established on these plots, the area’s economy could change significantly and create substantial employment opportunities. Alongside infrastructure development, the next challenge is to turn investors’ interest into actual investment.
According to project sources, the Jashore EPZ is being developed on approximately 503 acres of land. The project area covers the Chengutia, Mahakal, Prembag, Baliadanga, Amdanga, Araji Bahirghat, Magura and Rajapur mouzas in Prembag Union of Abhaynagar upazila. The plan includes the development of 415 industrial plots. The project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on November 9, 2023, with an estimated cost of Tk 16.78 billion. On March 23 of the following year, the district administration handed over the acquired land to the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA).
About 55% of the land development work in the project area has been completed. Construction of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) drains is approximately 95% complete. Meanwhile, work is underway on roads, culverts, boundary walls and sidewalks. Construction is also ongoing on an office building, four six-story factory buildings, three 10-story residential buildings, two six-story dormitories and a security barracks.
Infrastructure for electricity and gas is also being developed to make the industrial zone operational. An 11-kilovolt power line and a substation are already operational. An initiative has also been taken to construct a 33/11-kilovolt gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) substation. The tendering process for establishing a gas network is underway through Sundarban Gas Company. Tenders have also been invited for water supply facilities and solar-powered streetlights. Two deep tube wells have already been installed.
Yusuf Pasha, project director at BEPZA, said industrial plots were being prepared alongside infrastructure development so that factory construction could begin quickly. The target is to attract approximately $2 billion in investment to the Jashore EPZ. Once fully operational, the zone is expected to create direct employment for approximately 150,000 people and indirect employment for another 350,000.
BEPZA said it had received expressions of interest in investing in the Jashore EPZ from investors in various countries. With industrial plots now ready, opportunities are emerging to turn that interest into investment. Improvements in transportation have also added to the zone’s advantages. Since the opening of the Padma Bridge, connectivity between the southwestern region and Dhaka and other parts of the country has improved, creating additional benefits for the new industrial zone.
However, despite progress in infrastructure development, completing the entire project may take more time. Under the current plan, the project is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2026. A proposal to extend the project period by another year, until December 31, 2027, is also under consideration.
Local residents have high expectations that the Jashore EPZ will increase employment and economic activity. Once factories begin operations, new job opportunities could emerge not only in direct employment but also in transportation, housing, food businesses, shops and various service sectors. S M Sirajul Islam, former chairman of Prembag Union, said compensation and rehabilitation for those whose land had been acquired for the project needed to receive serious attention. Residents hope that landowners who surrendered their property and people living in surrounding areas will also benefit from industrialization.
Sheikh Salauddin Dipu, Abhaynagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said, “The EPZ’s activities are progressing vigorously. Foreign companies have also visited the site to inspect it for taking plots. I hope that once the EPZ becomes fully operational, unemployment in the area will be eliminated and it will play an important role in the national economy.”
