The Uttara EPZ in Nilphamari district is making an important contribution to the local economy and providing employment to thousands of local youths. Products made in the EPZ are being exported to different countries across the world and earning foreign exchange. Local poor youths, both male and female, are being employed here and they are overcoming their poverty situation gradually. Concerned sources said if gas is provided in the EPZ, rail link with the nearest railway station is established and the Syedpur airport is turned into an international airport the EPZ will flourish further. Many factories are now there in the EPZ such as Ever Green Product Ltd, Wasis Transformation Ltd, Mozen Industries Ltd, Ventura Leather Ltd, Section 7 International Ltd, Quest Accessories Ltd, KP International Ltd, Sonic Bangladesh Ltd and so on. Some factories of foreign investors are using local raw materials such as bamboo, cane, human hair and so on. A factory named Wasis Transformation Ltd making coffins by using local bamboo as raw materials. Ever Green Product Ltd, another factory, is making wigs from local human hair collected from barber shops. Sources said European countries are becoming more and more dependent on coffins exported from here. Only three kilometres south of Nilphamari municipality, the EPZ was established in 2001 on 213 hectares of land. EPZ sources said there are 180 plots in the EPZ, out of which 138 plots have been allotted to both local and foreign investors. At present 21,000 workers and employees are working in the EPZ’s factories, 70 per cent of them are women. When contacted, Nazma Begum a worker of the EPZ said her house is only one kilometres of the EPZ so she does not need any vehicular support. She said her monthly salary is Tk 10,000.
