Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) is going to sign a deal with China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) today for the development of an exclusive China economic zone at Anwara Upazila in Chittagong. According to Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the Chinese state-owned firm CHEC will be assigned to develop the site for Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) on a 774-acre land in Anwara. This is also called Anwara-II Economic Zone. Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad, China Harbour Engineering Company Vice-President Bai Yinzhan, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Md Siddiqur Rahman and BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury will attend the MoU signing ceremony. Of the proposed land for the economic zone, 290 acres of land belong to the government while the rest will be acquired from private land owners through the office of Chittagong Deputy Commissioner. Once established, the zone will accommodate around 400 factories that will attract around US$2 billion Chinese investment within three years. It will also create new jobs for over 1.5lakh people. Earlier on May 30, 2016, Finance Division released over Tk420 crore funds under the revised annual development programme (RADP) of the outgoing fiscal year 2015-16 to establish the economic and industrial zone for the Chinese investors known as Anwara-II Economic Zone. China Harbour Engineering Company Limited was earlier appointed to develop the zone. The proposed site of the zone is 39 kilometres from Chittagong port, 28 kilometres from Chittagong city and 46 kilometres from Shah Amanat International Airport. The move for setting up an exclusive economic zone for Chinese investors was undertaken soon after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had made such a pledge during her visit to China in 2014. In September 2015, Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the proposal for establishing an exclusive economic and industrial zone for Chinese investors.
