The increasing investments by local and foreign entrepreneurs at the Uttara Export Processing Zone (EPZ) have created good employment opportunity, which will help improve rural economy and standard of living in the region.Inaugurated in July 2001 by the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina on 212 acres of land at Songolshi union under Sadar upazila of Nilphamari, the Uttara EPZ also helped ultra-poor people come out of the poverty circle.”Fourteen companies have so far set up their factories on 140 plots, creating employments for 24,000 people, 65 per cent of them being rural women,” said deputy manager (commercial operation) of Uttara EPZ Khaled Mahmud.The 14 companies, including five from Hong Kong, one from the United Kingdom and eight locals, have invested in total 135.63 million US dollars at the EPZ.The foreign companies are producing export-oriented wig, coffin, spectacle, leather bag, belts, wallet, sweater and other products for global market while local ones are producing readymade garments, other goods and accessories for the foreign companies.”The number of employed people would become 50,000, including 500 foreigners, after setting up factories on more 47 plots now ready for allocation,” Mahmud added.According to the former president of Nilphamari Chamber SM Shafikul Alam, thousands of people used to struggle for earning a decent living due to lack of job during the lean ‘monga’ periods of ‘Aswin and Kartik’ months in agri-economy based Nilphamari district in the pasts.”The Uttara EPZ has, however, changed their life now by creating jobs and other opportunities for income generation,” Shafikul added.Like many other workers, Pervin Akhter, 22, and her husband Anwarul Islam, 26, of Bangmari village under Nilphamari Sadar upazila said they used to lead a miserable life before getting job at the wig-producing ‘Evergreen’ factory at Uttara EPZ.”At present, we earn over Taka 18,000 per month,” said Pervin, adding that they have already built a house and purchase a motorcycle for easy movement.Narrating their sufferings due to abject poverty prior to getting the job at Uttara EPZ, Laksmi Rani Roy, 22, and her sister Saraswati Rani Roy, 20, of Hariballov village said they could not complete even high school education as their family was in hardship.Both of them are daughters of poor day-labourer Babul Chandra Roy, who could not properly provide his five family members with adequate foods as his income was scant.Few years back, Laksmi got a job at ‘Evergreen’ company while Saraswati got another job at ‘Majen BD Limited’ at Uttara EPZ. They are now earning over Taka 20,000 together a month.”We are leading a decent life now after purchasing land, building a house and buying furniture,” said Laksmi.Noting the brighter prospect of Uttara EPZ, its general manager Abdus Sobhan said the companies have so far earned 540.75 million US dollars through exporting products since 2006 to April this year.”The high standard products of Uttara EPZ are now being exported to the US, European Union countries, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Columbia and many other countries,” he said.President of Rangpur Chamber Abul Kashem said local and foreign investments at Uttara EPZ would continue to increase following investment-friendly environment, availability of cheap labourers and peaceful law and order situation in the area.”The investments would rise further if the Syedpur Airport, 16 kilometres off the Uttara EPZ, is upgraded to international standard,” he said.Kashem also suggested ensuring uninterrupted power supply at subsidised rates to Uttara EPZ to assist entrepreneurs in manufacturing products at competitive rates like those in other regions having natural gas supply.
