Three firms in the Bepza economic zone inside Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar in Chattogram have started operations and exports, according to sources at Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza).

Starting operations early this year, these manufacturing units exported products worth $300,000 till June and created more than 1,500 employment opportunities directly, said ASM Anwar Parvez, executive director (public relations) of Bepza.

The companies are KPST Shoes (BD) Co Ltd, Fengqun Composite Material Company (BD) Ltd, and Kiaxi Lingerie Bangladesh Co Ltd.

Their combined investment is $71.14 million.

These factories are producing agro-processed food, accessories, hangers and foam, foil sealed bags, shoe accessories and packaging materials such as duct tape, cartons, paperboard boxes, inner boxes, corrugated boxes and rigid boxes.

KPST Shoes (BD) Co, which invested around $8.07 million, is producing shoe accessories like insole, outsole and midsole, and ethylene-vinyl acetate and polyurethane foams.

Fengqun Composite Material Company (BD) of China has invested $2.22 million and is making shoe accessories and packaging items.

Kiaxi Lingerie, which specialises in lingerie items, textiles, accessories, hangers and foam, has invested $60.85 million.

Parvez said another eight factories are under-construction and two of them will start production within a short time.

He said they have so far signed contracts with 30 companies for plot allocation with a total investment plan of $706 million. Of the amount, $71.14 million has already been invested.

Besides, there were around 100 applications in the pipeline but land could not be allocated for those investors as those factories will require a huge amount of water.

Bepza will not be able to allocate land until water is available, he said.