Chittagong EPZ now under automation

The Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ), the country's first and largest EPZ, is now under automated systems to issue all sorts of import permissions (IP), export permissions (EP) and sub-contracts.
Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (Bepza) Brigadier General Jamil Ahmed Khan inaugurated the automated systems at CEPZ yesterday.
Khan said issuing IP/EP and subcontracts online will save both time and labour that will benefit investors and help Bepza offer better services.
“Although the automated system is initially being launched with 20 enterprises, all enterprises in CEPZ will be connected to the automated systems phase by phase to completely replace the existing manual system,” he said.
Following CEPZ, the other seven EPZs will also be automated soon, he added.
Bepza Member (Finance) AKM Mahabubur Rahman informed the inauguration that International Financial Corporation financed introduction of the automated systems at CEPZ, while DNS Software Limited provided technical assistance.
CEPZ General Manager Ataul Hoque said automation at CEPZ is a step forward towards creating a Digital Bangladesh.
CEPZ, established back in 1983 on 453 acres of land at South Halishahar, has 151 fully operational industrial units, while nine others are under different stages of implementation. Investment at CEPZ by entrepreneurs from twenty different countries amounted to $ 730.47million as of September 2009.
The industrial units at CEPZ made exported goods worth $ 1188.15 million in fiscal 2008-09 and $ 332.816 million in September 2009, officials said.
Concerned authorities, investors and Bepza officials were present at the inauguration.