9 firms receive land in Bangabandhu Hi-Tech city

Authorities today handed over land to nine local and foreign companies for manufacturing hi-tech products in the Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City, a project which will receive investment of about $150 million and will create about 25,000 fresh employments at Gazipur’s Kaliakoir.

In a ceremony held at Bangabandhu International Conference Center, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA) handed over 21 acres of land to the firms for 40 years.

Of the firms, Nazdaq Technologies Inc Ltd, a local software development company that develops mainly banking software, has taken two acres of land promising to invest $61.7 million which will create about 3,600 new employments there.

Six local banks are now using their softwares, said a director of the company, adding that they are also exporting banking softwares for banks in the USA, UK and South Africa.

Intercloud Limited, a local firm offering state-of-the-art telephony solutions designed specifically to simplify operations, proposes to invest $21.71 million in their three acres of land which will create about 770 employments.

Samsung’s local manufacturing partner Fair Electronics Ltd will assemble laptops and some other communication devices in their 3.5 acres of land where they will invest $10 million and will create about 250 employments in their plant.

Fair Group has already started assembling different kinds of mobile handsets, refractors, microwave ovens and air conditioners in their plant in Narsingdi.

Country’s largest BPO firm Genex Infosys and three other software companies -- BJIT Limited, JR Enterprise and KDS Group -- also promised to invest about $10 million each which will create more than 19,000 employments.

Of the list, Genex has plans to set up a call center and content development center over there which will mainly run their overseas business, said Prince Mojumder, co-founder and chief executive officer of the company.

Second largest mobile operator Robi Axiatia Ltd plans to invest $2.6 million which will create 110 employments. They target to introduce various kinds of Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) products.

Companies will have to pay annual fees at the rate of $2 per square metre. They will be able to develop or manufacture products and services for export for extra tax benefits.