The Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) plans to commence the allocation of industrial plots to investors in the Jashore Export Processing Zone (EPZ) by the end of 2026, as part of its broader strategy to attract foreign investment and stimulate economic growth in the country’s southwestern region.
Speaking to BSS, BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman said land development work at the site will begin shortly after the tendering process is completed. "Although the land in the EPZ area is low-lying, we are hopeful that plot allocation for investors can start by late 2026. Construction of factories and land development will proceed in parallel," he noted.
The Jashore EPZ is being developed across approximately 503 acres in Abhaynagar upazila. Once operational, it is expected to attract up to $2 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) and generate $2.4 billion in annual exports. The project is also poised to significantly boost local employment, creating around 150,000 direct jobs and 300,000 indirect employment opportunities.
BEPZA aims to develop around 400 industrial plots in the zone, with the broader goal of driving socio-economic progress in the southwestern region. Ziaur Rahman emphasized that leveraging infrastructure like the Padma Bridge will help ensure balanced national development.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the Jashore EPZ project in November 2023 with an allocated budget of Tk 1,642.73 crore.
BEPZA, the government agency responsible for developing and managing Export Processing Zones, has a proven track record over the last four decades. It has attracted investments from 38 countries across its nine zones, consistently contributing 18–20 percent of Bangladesh’s total annual exports.
The existing nine zones under BEPZA are Chattogram, Dhaka, Mongla, Uttara, Ishwardi, Cumilla, Adamjee, Karnaphuli EPZs, and the BEPZA Economic Zone.
To date, investments in 448 industries across these zones total over $6.96 billion, producing export goods valued at $116.30 billion. Approximately 530,000 skilled workers are currently employed in these zones, manufacturing a wide range of products for leading global brands.
BSS/MB
