Dohar- Nawabganj to be the next two Socio Economic Zones in Bangladesh

The government of Bangladesh has been considering Socio Economic Zones (SEZs) as an important instrument of development. Of late, the South Asian nation has shown immense commitment towards developing SEZs, in an attempt to stimulate economic growth, employment opportunities and foster poverty reduction.

With most of the current production activities still concentrated in the relatively better-off Dhaka, Chittagong cities, the initiative to build SEZs can be highly beneficial for other regions in the nation, as this opens up the potential foreign direct investment (FDI) besides benefits such as production and trade at a lower price, nurturing a globally competitive nation.

In this backdrop, one of the frontrunners is Dohar-Nawabganj area, owing to the efforts of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Private Industry and Investment adviser Salman F Rahman. In a recent statement, Salman F Rahman said that the economic zones in Dohar- Nawabganj have been approved by the government and in all likelihood will be implemented soon. “At first, we thought of establishing one economic zone. But when we submitted our proposal to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, she gave approval for two economic zones,” stated Salman F Rahman, who was elected from Dohar-Nawabganj in 2018 general elections. It was during the election campaign of the last year that Salman F Rahman had promised to establish an economic zone in the area, also as the capacity of the MP of Dohar- Nawabganj constituency.

As a guest of honor at the program titled “Anti-terrorism, militancy and anti-drug drives”, organized by the Nawabganj Thana Community Police at Nawabganj Pilot High School, Salman F Rahman mentioned that “all the works have been part of a plan even before the elections have started”. Other issues were highlighted at the program.With commitment and a vision for a prosperous Bangladesh, the plan has been to reconstruct the dilapidated roads of the Nawabganj area. “For dredging the two rivers in our upazila, I have taken an allocation of Tk. 500 crore,” the PM adviser told the people.

Besides this, he also urged the people of Nawabganj to take oath to fight against terrorism, militancy and drugs. At the program, around 100 drug dealers and users of Nawabganj and Dohar promised to return to normal life.

Besides PM’s adviser Salman F Rahman and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Kamal, Habibur Rahman, DIF of Dhaka range, Abu Saleh Mohammad Ferdous Khan, were also present at the occasion as guests. Speaking on the occasion, theHome Minister Asaduzzaman Kamal said that Bangladesh has come across as a successful example in curbing militancy in the world.

Such programs, events are testament to active governance, which has in the past shown a willingness to address issues- from building infrastructure for youth development in all upazilas or linking the hinterlands for safe commutation for small traders and businessmen. Thus, declaration of SEZs can lead to additional economic activity, promotion of goods and services and employment generation.