BEPZA Secures $418.73M Investment in July-February

Despite global challenges and domestic political issues, BEPZA has attracted a substantial investment commitment of $418.73 million. "From July 2024 to February 2025, BEPZA finalized lease agreements with 26 companies, which will bring in a total investment of $418.73 million to Bangladesh," said BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman in an exclusive interview with the national news agency BSS.

The executive chairman highlighted that, as of now, BEPZA oversees a total of 560 companies across the Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and Economic Zones (EZs), with 448 currently operational and 112 under development.

According to BEPZA’s latest figures, companies within these zones invested $173.78 million during the July-February period of FY25, with $129.73 million of that coming from foreign direct investment (FDI). "This robust growth reflects BEPZA’s effective investment promotion strategies and its ability to attract both local and international investors," Ziaur Rahman noted. "We are focused on boosting FDI and continuing to drive these investments to fuel Bangladesh's economic growth."

Currently, the eight EPZs and BEPZA Economic Zone cover a total area of just 3,445 acres, but they have attracted investments from 38 countries. Ziaur Rahman emphasized the importance of focusing on sectors such as energy and infrastructure, ICT and electronics, agribusiness, food processing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and healthcare to sustain and increase this investment momentum.

"We face some challenges, such as limited space, outdated infrastructure, and policy constraints, but we are actively addressing these issues to make the investment environment more conducive to growth," he added.

Ziaur Rahman further outlined the critical role EPZs play in Bangladesh's export sector, with the enterprises within these zones having exported goods worth $5.51 billion during the first eight months of FY25. He pointed out that in the previous fiscal year (2023-24), EPZ exports accounted for $7.1 billion, representing 16 percent of Bangladesh's total national exports.

In a bid to increase export volume, BEPZA is planning to establish new EPZs across the country. Additionally, Ziaur Rahman noted ongoing efforts to simplify procedures through digitization and automation, which are expected to attract further investments and expand export volumes.

To support this growth, BEPZA has requested government intervention to provide export subsidies to EPZ enterprises, which could further boost export figures.

Ziaur Rahman also emphasized Bangladesh’s leadership in sustainable manufacturing, highlighting the country's status as a global leader with the largest number of green factories. BEPZA has been at the forefront of promoting green industrialization, with 26 LEED-certified factories within its EPZs, setting high standards for environmental sustainability. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is a globally recognized benchmark for green building practices, focusing on energy efficiency, water conservation, air quality, and waste management.

"With our focus on sustainability, BEPZA continues to pave the way for environmentally responsible industrial growth, making Bangladesh a hub for green manufacturing," said Ziaur Rahman.