Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday ordered steps to turn Bangladesh's economic zones into green and investment-friendly industrial hubs, including planting 125,000 trees across the country's Export Processing Zones (EPZs).
The directives came at a meeting of the Governing Board of the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), chaired by the Prime Minister, at his office in the Cabinet Division of the Secretariat.
As part of the government's nationwide programme to plant 25 crore trees, the meeting decided to plant 125,000 trees across all EPZs to promote greener industrialisation, protect the environment and improve the ecological balance of the economic zones, said PM's Deputy Press Secretary Md Suzauddhowla (Suzon Mahmood).
The meeting also reviewed progress in implementing decisions taken at the ninth meeting of the BEZA Governing Board.
Discussions focused on establishing new economic zones, reviewing private economic zone proposals and making better use of unused state-owned industrial assets.
Officials who participated in the meeting discussed setting up modern industries at the sites to attract local and foreign investment, create jobs and boost the local economy.
The meeting also reviewed the potential use of the land and existing infrastructure of Karim Jute Mills and Latif Bawany Jute Mills in Narayanganj for economic activities.
It also discussed the need to follow existing guidelines in processing applications and licences for private economic zones, as well as preparing a new policy framework for the sector.
The Prime Minister stressed that future economic zones should be developed in a way that balances industrial growth with environmental protection, making them green, modern and attractive to investors.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, Road Transport and Bridges, Railways, and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, among others, were present.