Leaders of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) have called upon local and foreign entrepreneurs for investing more in Uttara Export Processing Zone (EPZ) by availing the prevailing investment and export friendly atmosphere there, reports BSS. They asked for further increasing and improving facilities already established export-oriented industries to attract more local and foreign investments at the Uttara EPZ situated only 18 kilometres off from Syedpur airport in Nilphamari. They were addressing a seminar on ‘Developing Investment’ organised by the Uttara EPZ authority at its Zone Service Building auditorium on Tuesday for chamber leaders and entrepreneurs of Rangpur division to discuss various issues on establishing industrialists there. SM Akhter Alam Mostaki, general manager of Uttara EPZ, presided over the day-long seminar participated by the leaders of different chambers, industrialists and entrepreneurs from all over Rangpur division. In the beginning, a power point presentation demonstrated achievements in providing better services, creating a congenial environment and successes already achieved by the local and foreign investors through setting up industries at Uttara EPZ. The presentation also narrated the maximum facilities and export-oriented congenial atmosphere those have been insured for the already established industries at Uttara EPZ by local and foreign investors for attracting more investments there. Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu, Rangpur chamber president; Mosaddek Hossain, Dinajpur chamber president; SM Shafikul Alam Dablu, Nilphamari chamber president and Anwara Ferdousi Poly, Rangpur Women’s chamber addressed the seminar discussing various prospects the Uttara EPZ and related issues. Highlighting the tremendous prospect of Uttara EPZ, the chamber leaders called for supplying natural gas to the EPZ to further inspire the local and foreign investors in setting up industries, there to boost the economy of the region and the country as a whole. They suggested for upgrading Syedpur airport to international standard and Chilahati land customs station, 38 kilometres off from the EPZ, to a full-fledged Land Port to ease export-import activities with the north-eaters States of India, Bhutan and Nepal. They suggested for adding mixed-gage rail lines with Uttara EPZ from Syedpur railway junction to connect it with Mongla Port (586 kilometres off from Uttara EPZ) and Chittagong Port (650 kilometres off from Uttara EPZ) for attracting local and foreign investors. Besides, the chamber leaders called upon the Uttara EPZ authority for arranging similar seminars at all district level chambers of commerce and industry in the Rangpur division with a view to attract the local investors for setting up industries at the Uttara EPZ.
