Khulna, Correspondent :
The exports from Mongla Export Processing Zone (EPZ) increased by 16 times in the past 10 years. Investments also witnessed a rise by 11 times as and about 4,500 people got jobs as well.
“Mongla EPZ was established on 289 acres of land in 1998 in line with the visionary decision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Currently, 128 factories are on operations and 15 more will go into operations soon,” said Executive Manager of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) Nazma Binte Alamgir.
Nazma said the Mongla Port has become active because of the Mongla EPZ as products worth Taka 4,075 crore were exported through this sea-port in 2018, which is 16 times higher from Taka 295 crore of 2008.
Out of a total of 192 industrial plots of the zone, 165 plots have already been allocated among the investors, she added. In 2008, the EPZ drew investments worth Taka 45 crore but investments witnessed a rise significantly in 2018 as the port town EPZ drew Taka 510 crore worth of investments, 11 times in the last 10 years.
Nazma said previously the economy of this part of the country area depended on agriculture and fishing. Now the situation has largely been changed as workers in the EPZ are involved in producing products ranging from heating pads of Toyota cars, VIP luggage bag, North American towel, jute based products to marble stone accessories etc, she said.
These products are being exported to India, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Indonesia and a few more countries in Middle East and Europe, Nazma also said.
