BSS
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today laid the foundation stones of 10 economic zones, the first of its kind in the country, as she sought cooperation of the local people to set up those zones fast to build a prosperous Bangladesh.
“I would like to urge local people to extend cooperation so that the investors could build the (economic) zones in a faster pace and ‘beautiful atmosphere’, and thus would help establish a hunger and poverty-free prosperous Bangladesh,” she said.
With the setting up of economic zones, she said, the ‘living standard’ of the people would be further developed as those will generate employment, alleviate poverty and infuse dynamism into the economy.
The Prime Minister laid the foundation stones of 10 economic zones through videoconferencing from Bangabandhu International Conference Centre here this morning.
Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu and Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal addressed the function as the special guests, while Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain joined the videoconferencing from Mirsarai Economic Zone, Chittagong.
Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad delivered the welcome address, while Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury spoke.
Managing Director of PowerPac Economic Zone Private Limited Ron Haq Sikder, Managing Director of Aman Economic Zone Md Rafiqul Islam, Managing Director of Bay Economic Zone Ziaur Rahman, Managing Director of Meghna Economic Zone (EZ) and Meghna Industrial EZ Mostofa Kamal, Managing Director of AK Khan Economic Zone Salahuddin Kasem Khan and Managing Director of Abdul Monem Economic Zone ASM Mainuddin Monem also spoke at the function.
Terming the present government as an ‘investment and business-friendly’ one, the Premier said her government wants to create an excellent atmosphere for investment.
“We don’t want to do business, rather we want to create scope for the businesspeople as we want (rapid) development of the country.”
Sheikh Hasina called upon local and foreign entrepreneurs to come forward to invest in the country’s economic zones for (further) economic uplift of the country.
In this connection, she said the country would be developed further as many as entrepreneurs would come forward to invest in these economic zones. “It may happen through local and foreign partnership or public private partnership or government to government initiative,” the PM said.
“We don’t want to keep any stone unturned … whatever scopes exist, we want to exploit all,” she said.
Extending her sincere thanks to those who come forward to establish economic zones, the Premier assured that her government would provide all kinds of necessary support to all types of economic zones to turn Bangladesh into a higher middle income country by 2021.
Putting emphasis on setting up of the economic zones in a ‘well-planned’ and ‘well-coordinated’ manner, Sheikh Hasina said all will have to be careful so that such zones or mills and factories are not established here and there causing damage to the cultivable land.
Directives have been given to the authorities concerned to develop economic zones in a planned manner so that the people are not displaced from their homes and cultivable lands.