The government is planning to establish two border economic zones (BEZs) in Ukhia and Teknaf under Cox’s Bazar, officials said. The initiative has been taken mainly to generate large-scale employment in these border areas for discouraging illegal drugs business and human trafficking, they said. Prime Ministers’ Office (PMO) will hold a meeting next week to devise necessary steps to set up the proposed BEZs, they added. Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has recently conducted a feasibility study in this regard, and sent a concept paper to PMO. Basic infrastructures of the BEZs will facilitate massive employment. These will generate activities in the border areas, and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to the country, the concept paper mentioned. Besides, industrial development will accelerate tourism business in the areas. The BEZs will make positive impact on the country’s rural economy, it added. About 400 acres of land has been earmarked at Nayapara under Teknaf on Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf highway for one of the proposed BEZs. The land comprises of 158 acres of ‘khas’ land, and the remaining 282 acres of private land would be acquired for implementing the BEZ, sources concerned said. On the other hand, about 210 acres, including 159 acres of private land and 51 acres o ‘khas’ land, have been earmarked in Ukhia for the other BEZ, with the possibility of adding 200 acres more land to it. The government is contemplating to set up free trade zones and EZs in Moheskhali along with development of a deep seaport. Moreover, economic zones can be set up on both sides of Bangladesh-Myanmar border by sharing natural gas, power, technology, manpower and port facility of the two neighbouring countries, they added. In this regard, the two countries can take joint initiatives to make the region a vibrant one. India may also join the effort to extract benefits by using natural gas of Mynmar, the officials opined. A large number of people in Teknaf and Ukhia are unskilled and almost jobless. So they are forced to earn their living through illegal drugs business and human trafficking. Similarly, most people of Rakhine province in neighbouring Myanmar are not engaged in regular economic activities, which prompted them to migrate to Bangladesh for livelihood. The government has already approved 22 proposals for setting up EZs across the country. Of them, three will be established under private initiative, according to the BEZA website.
