Necessary initiative has been taken to set up specialized economic zone in Rajshahi with the main thrust of elevating its economic condition coupled with eradicating unemployment problems through the best uses of existing agricultural potentialities here, officials concerned here said, reports BSS. In order to establish agro-based industries, the zone will be set up on around 205 acres of land in Joykrishnapur, Maria, Balanagar, Bhobanipur and Koira areas under Paba Upazila of the district. The private-owned lands will be purchased in fair price. Within this time, infrastructure development works will start. Mainly, the foreign investors will be encouraged to invest here. Already, Prime Minister’s office and Economic Zone Committee completed the site selection process. According to this, district administration submitted the site selection report to the ministry of land. Ataul Gani, additional deputy commissioner (general), said small and medium enterprises along with garments factories will be set up in the zone upon successful completion of its necessary process by 2019. Muniruzzaman Moni, President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), said the zone will obviously generate massive employment scopes besides attracting many investors towards establishing industries. Apart from this, Moni said foreign investors will be encouraged here side by side with the local ones. Many of the foreign ones have contacted with us in this regard. Thereby good relation between the local and foreign investors will build up. By dint of this, economic foundation of the region will be bolstered that will contribute a lot to enhance economic growth. RCCI has requested the authorities concerned to set up small engineering and garments factories in the zone. “We have demanded 20 percent investment scopes for the women entrepreneurs,” said Chamber leader Moni. He mentioned that prospects of agro-processing enterprises is bright in the region as it produces surplus crops especially food-grains, fruits and vegetables. He focused on the agricultural potentials of the region with special emphasis on value added agro-processing opportunities and agro-based industries. It could add to the industrialization efforts of agro-based and agro-processing industry in the region for a sustainable and well-formed linkage of production, processing and marketing. Moni described ‘value addition to agricultural products and agro-processing’ as very much consistent with the government policy since due emphasis are being given on agro-processing at present. AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, former Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation, said economic zone is very important for bolstering economic condition of any region along with improving its living and livelihood condition. To this end, political will is very imperative. He says the present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is very much positive towards strengthening Rajshahi’s economic condition through proper utilization of the existing potentialities. He hoped that the new economic zone scheme will be implemented in due time.
