Arisha Private Economic Zone, which has received a prequalification licence from Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority or Beza, expects up to $8 billion investment mostly from abroad in its industrial park at Basila in Dhaka.“We may sign a $90 million investment deal with a UK-based firm by the end of this month,” said Aslamul Haque, managing director of Arisha Private Economic Zone, a unit of property developer Maisha Group.The group is in talks with investors from other countries. “We are trying to attract the investment mostly from abroad, but the investment opportunity will remain open for domestic entrepreneurs too,” Haque said.Although the economic zone is now being developed on 85 acres, it will be expanded to 200 acres gradually, said Haque, also a ruling party lawmaker.But the prequalification licence was given for around 51 acres, and Beza will award the licence for the remaining lands after the group meets certain conditions.Paban Chowdhury, executive chairman of Beza, handed over the licence to Haque at a programme at the Beza office in Dhaka yesterday.In line with the licence, the zone will now make an environmental impact assessment, a feasibility study and a masterplan by the next one year.It is the seventh economic zone to be built by any private company.“We started developing the land four years ago. As we have received the prequalification licence, we can now start developing the infrastructure,” said Haque.Some 200 industrial plots will be available for entrepreneurs at the economic zone, which is only 4km away from the parliament building in Dhaka.The project will consist of a container terminal and jetty, a well-equipped fire station and security arrangement, a five-star hotel with a helipad and a modern effluent treatment plant.Three power plants, each with 108MW capacity, are also being built. It will be a completely planned and organised industrial park for safe investment, according to the company’s website.The economic zone will create jobs for some 40,000 over the next eight years, as it will be a suitable place especially for garment makers.Beza had earlier awarded prequali-fication licences to five private sector companies to set up six economic zones — one each to AK Khan and Company, Abdul Monem Ltd, Bay Group, Aman Group and two to Meghna Group. The government is also setting up four economic zones in the public sector: Mirsarai Economic Zone in Chittagong, Mongla Economic Zone in Bagerhat, Srihatta Economic Zone in Moulvibazar and Sabrang Tourism Park in Cox’s Bazar.These 11 economic zones are part of Beza’s plan to develop 100 such zones by 2030 on 75,000 acres, to create jobs for one crore people and to produce $40 billion worth products and services.Beza has so far selected 59 places across the country for economic zones, of which feasibility studies on 22 sites are ongoing, Chowdhury said.“Many private companies such as Bashundhara, East Coast, Unique, Alliance and City are showing their interest in economic zones.
