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Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), the leading investment promotional agency of the country, has hit all-time high growth in its journey of 40 years.
In the recently-ended fiscal year 2021-22, the authority witnessed a significant rise in all indicators - export, investment and employment, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.
Exports soar 30.41 per cent and investment increased over 20 per cent compared to the achievement of the previous year. The enterprises of EPZs created new employment for 64,160 Bangladeshi nationals, the highest in a single year in the history of BEPZA.
The exports from the operational enterprises of the country's 8 EPZs under BEPZA reached US$ 8655.90 million in the fiscal year 2021-22, setting a new record and crossing the $8 billion mark for the first time.
The previous highest in a single FY was US$ 7524.11 million in 2018-2019. Export receipts were 30.41 per cent up compared to a year ago (2020-21), when the enterprises of EPZs brought home $6637.06 million.
Among the total export of EPZs, apparel shipment accounts for only 54.68 per cent whereas 85 per cent of the country's total export is apparel. But the other sectors of EPZs such as garment accessories, footwear and leather goods, textile, tent, cap, plastic goods and electronics captured a fair share in the export earnings which proved the EPZs as the hub of producing products of diverse nature.
BEPZA has attracted an investment of $409.80 million in the FY 2021-2022 surpassing all previous records. This is the highest investment in a single FY in the history of BEPZA. The previous highest was $406.35 million in the FY 2014-2015.
The investment increased by 20.26 per cent in the just concluded FY compared to $340.75 million achieved in the FY 2020-21.
BEPZA hopes the investment would increase more from FY 2022-23 through the operation of the BEPZA Economic Zone - the largest-ever venture of BEPZA. Till June 2022, BEPZA allowed 10 companies to set up industries in BEPZA EZ with a total proposed investment of US$ 215.66 million which will start to be added as actual investment from the current fiscal.
In FY22, BEPZA created a milestone by creating employment for 64,160 Bangladeshi nationals. Though BEPZA created new jobs for over 47 thousand people in FY 2020-21, in the recently concluded FY 2021-22 the authority set a new record by creating job opportunities for 64,160 Bangladeshi nationals. This shows a rise of 36.51 per cent.
In FY22, BEPZA created a milestone by creating employment for 64,160 Bangladeshi nationals. Though BEPZA created new jobs for over 47 thousand people in FY 2020-21, in the recently concluded FY 2021-22 the authority set a new record by creating job opportunities for 64,160 Bangladeshi nationals.
Mentionable, the investors of 37 countries including South Korea, China (Taiwan and Hong Kong), Japan, India, the UK, USA, along with host Bangladesh invested $6040.43 million in EPZs as of June 2022.
The total exports from the 456 operational enterprises of 8 EPZs reached $96 billion where the number of cumulative employment stands at 5,02,365 till June 2022.