Nearly half of the industrial plots planned for the Jashore Export Processing Zone (EPZ) have been prepared for allocation to investors as the development of the new industrial hub in the country's southwestern region progresses rapidly. Of the 415 industrial plots planned under the project, 200 have already been made ready for allocation to investors, according to Abu Syeed Md. Anwar Parvez, executive director (Public Relations) of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA). The EPZ is being established on 510 acres of land at Prembagh Union under Abhaynagar upazila of Jashore district.
Economic Transformation and Investment Attraction
Anwar Parvez highlighted that the Jashore EPZ is not merely an industrial zone but a transformative initiative for the economic landscape of the southwestern region. The project, approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on November 9, 2023, at a cost of Taka 1,678.29 crore, aims to attract around US$2 billion in investment and generate annual exports worth US$2.4 billion when fully operational. It is expected to create direct employment for 1.5 lakh people and indirect employment for another three lakh Bangladeshis.
Infrastructure Development and Investor Readiness
The construction of the EPZ is progressing rapidly under BEPZA's supervision. Infrastructure development and plot allocation are being carried out simultaneously to enable investors to establish factories and start commercial operations at the earliest possible time. Around 70 percent of land development work has been completed, and construction of RCC canals is about 95 percent complete. Additionally, roads, drains, culverts, boundary walls, and footpaths are under construction.
Anwar Parvez noted that several local and foreign investors have already visited the Jashore EPZ. BEPZA is taking steps to ensure that investors can move ahead with factory construction and other preparatory activities without waiting for the completion of all infrastructure works. Construction is also underway on an office building, four six-storey factory buildings, three 10-storey residential buildings, two six-storey dormitories, and two six-storey Ansar and security barracks.
Utility and Facility Development
The tender process for establishing a gas network by Sundarban Gas Company Limited is underway. An initiative has also been taken to construct a 33/11 kV GIS substation under the financing and management of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board, while the 11 kV electrical line and substation have already been commissioned. Tenders have been invited for solar street lights and a water distribution network. Designs and estimates for the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) network, and internet network are also being prepared. Two deep tube wells have already been installed.
Anwar Parvez expressed optimism that once Jashore EPZ becomes fully operational, it will inject new life into the local economy, create huge employment opportunities, and play an important role in transforming the overall economic landscape of the southwestern region. The project is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2026, while a proposal to extend the project tenure by one year to December 31, 2027 is under consideration.
