Finding ample investment opportunities in the government-planned next industrial hub at Mirsharai of Chittagong, top local and international investors are showing their interest in the Mirsharai Economic Zone. Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA), an organisation under the PMO to develop 100 economic zones across the country, is developing an economic zone in Mirsharai on 7716 acres of land. It has also said that there is opportunity to develop 30000 acres of land in Mirsharai area in phases. Sources said that country’s top business groups have submitted their investment proposals to BEZA to make their investments in Mirsharai economic zone. Top 17 local and international business groups have, so far, submitted their investment proposals for the economic zone which will be developed in several phases. The groups are BSRM Group of Companies, Runner Group, Aman Group, Summit Corporation Ltd, Bangladesh Power ngineering and Construction Corporation Ltd, United Sugar Mills Ltd, Zhejiang Jindun Holding Group Companies of Ltd of China, ACI Ltd, Nexon Energies Asia Ltd, Gas 1, Bengal Group of Industries, Alam Group, Omera Petroleum Ltd and Joint Venture of Energypac Power Generation Ltd. Besides, Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA), Power Grid Company of Bangladesh and Power Division are also interested to come up with their investments. “It has become visible that the Mirsharai is going to be the next industrial hub of the country and BEZA is developing the zone to facilitate the investment. Proposals are being submitted by the local and international companies to establish power plants, LNG terminal, LPG terminal and other industries”, said BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury. He also said the BEZA and its other concerned departments are examining the investment proposals. The price of land in the economic zones will be set by the government within a month and then it will be easy to finalise the business proposals for the economic zones. BEZA has a special plan centring on the Mirsharai to make the area a perfect economic hub of the country, he added. Sources at BEZA said a number of giant power generation companies have shown their interest to establish power plants and LNG terminals in the Mirsharai Economic Zone, as the area is near to the Chittagong port and sea which makes the place best to establish this kind of establishment. Summit Corporation, country’s one of the pioneer power sector giant, has sought 100 acres of land to build an energy hub by establishing power plants and LNG terminal while BSRM group is keen to establish 300 MW power plant and Steel Plant, Aman Group to build 600 MW power plant, United Sugar Mills Ltd to establish 1200 MW coal based power plant and LNG terminal in Mirsharai EZ, sources said. Bengal Group has shown interest to establish multisectoral industries over 1000 acres of land while ACI Ltd is eager to establish animal health production, plastic, light engineering and assembling industries over 500 acres of land and Alam Group is also interested to build industries in the next economic hub of the country. Besides, Australian LP Gas Company GAS-1 has showed interest to build LPG plant and LPG bottling plant, Zhejiand Jindin Holding Group of China is interested to build a 2300 MW coal-based power plant and NEXON Energies Asia Ltd is interested to establish a solar power plant. Even, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh has expressed interest to build a 400/230/132/33 KV grid substation over 50 acres of land and power division is interested to establish an integrated renewable energy village (IREV) in the EZ area. It is worth mentioning here that the government has set a target to develop 100 economic zones under public, private and PPP models by 2030 on 75,000 acres of land for creating job opportunities for one crore people and fetching $40 billion investment.
