Ecnec okays Tk4,189cr Chinese economic, industrial zone ahead of PM's China visit

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has approved the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone project in Anwara, Chattogram, at a total cost of Tk4,189 crore. The approval comes ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's upcoming visit to China.

The Chinese government will provide Tk2,467 crore in loans to fund the project with an aim at boosting industrialisation, employment, and foreign direct investment. The Anwara-based economic zone is being positioned as one of the government's key strategic initiatives.

Once implemented, the project is expected to generate over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs and attract at least $500 million in FDI. Chinese investment is anticipated across various manufacturing sectors, including textiles, pharmaceuticals, and light engineering.

The project was approved at an Ecnec meeting held at Bangladesh secretariat yesterday with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair.

After the meeting, State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki, briefed journalists on the details of the meeting at the National Economic Council conference room in Sher-e-Banglanagar in the capital.

He mentioned that some of the infrastructure built under this project will also remain open for public use.

"Detailed discussions were held at the meeting on road construction and various other infrastructure-related expenditures under the project. When various questions were raised, they were examined and satisfactory explanations were provided," he said.

The state minister said the PM issued several special directives upon approving the project. These included ensuring not just waste removal, but a comprehensive waste management system. The PM also directed that the full water treatment process from the establishment of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) through to its operation and environmental impact assessment be properly addressed.

Furthermore, the project has been directed to incorporate a solar power system, underscoring the emphasis on renewable energy. The measures are expected to make the project more environmentally sustainable, said the state minister.

The project is scheduled for implementation between January 2027 and December 2031, he added.

According to the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza), the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone is being developed on approximately 800 acres in Anwara upazila, Chattogram, under a government-to-government initiative. Its proximity to the Karnaphuli Tunnel, Chattogram seaport, and Shah Amanat International Airport makes it a strategically significant location. The government hopes the zone will emerge as a major hub for Chinese investment.

An MoU for establishing the zone was signed in 2014 between China's Ministry of Commerce and Beza. Although land acquisition was completed in 2016, the project remained stalled for years due to various complications.

Initially, China Harbour Engineering Company was considered as the developer, but progress stalled after an agreement could not be finalised. In 2022, China Road and Bridge Corporation was appointed as the new developer following nomination by the Chinese government. Beza says preparations for signing the developer agreement with CRBC are now in the final stage.

Under the project, a range of supporting infrastructure will be built, including a 1,235-metre jetty link road and a 330-metre bridge, a 1,181-metre four-lane road, a central ETP with a capacity of 25 million litres per day, a multipurpose jetty capable of handling 20,000 deadweight tonnes, gas supply infrastructure, a power substation, transmission lines, water reservoirs, and approximately 12 kilometres of boundary wall.

Beza confirmed that land acquisition has been fully completed and once the developer agreement is finalised, infrastructure construction can begin. Beza Executive Chairman Ashiq Chowdhury recently said significant progress has been made in discussions with the Chinese side, with both countries treating the project as a priority.

The Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone is expected to serve as an important milestone in Bangladesh-China economic cooperation and contribute to the country's long-term economic growth, Beza added. Its strategic location close to the Karnaphuli Tunnel, Chattogram seaport, and Shah Amanat International Airport further strengthens its potential as an investment destination.

The project aligns with several key commitments of the Election Manifesto 2026, particularly Chapter Three, Reconstruction and Recovery of a Fragile Economy on job creation, attracting foreign direct investment, and developing industrial park capacity. Once implemented, it is projected to generate over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs and attract at least $500 million in foreign direct investment.

The project also supports the manifesto's Chapter Four on region-based balanced development, specifically the goal of establishing Chattogram as the country's commercial capital and a major employment hub. Taken together, these outcomes are expected to further consolidate the strategic economic partnership between Bangladesh and China.

Four more development projects were approved at the Ecnec meeting with an estimated total cost of Tk7,003.36 crore. Of the total project cost, Tk4,536.10 crore will come from the government's own funds, while the rest Tk2,467.26 crore will be financed through project loans. Among the approved projects, three are new, and two are revised.

The approved projects are rehabilitation (first phase) of Muhuri-Kahua Flood Control, Drainage and Irrigation Project in Feni district, Karatoa River System Development Project, and project (first revised) for protecting Talbaria area in Mirpur upazila and Komarkandi area in Shilaidaha Union of Kumarkhali upazila in Kushtia district from erosion by the Padma River while the fifth approved project is titled "Establishment of One Technical School and College in Each of 100 Upazilas (Third Revised)" under the Ministry of Education.