Bepza's part in national export hits record high

Factories in Bepza's eight export processing zones accounted for one-fifth of the country's total exports in the just concluded fiscal year.

Some 476 operational enterprises exported goods worth $7.21 billion in fiscal 2017-18, up by 10 percent from a year ago, said Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza) in a statement yesterday.

The total national export in 2017-18 stood at $ 36.66 billion.

The previous highest export earning from the EPZ enterprises was $6.67 billion in fiscal 2015-16 and the previous highest contribution to the national export was 19.59 percent in fiscal 2014-15.

The exports of EPZs under Bepza also beat a target of $6.20 billion fixed in an Annual Performance Agreement (APA), a yearly target-based agreement signed with the Prime Minister's Office.

Bepza also exceeded the investment and employment target set by APA for fiscal 2017-18.

The operational and under construction enterprises of EPZs have attracted $339.54 million in investment against a target of $325 million.

Bepza's target was to create 19,500 job opportunities in fiscal 2017-18. The enterprises of the eight EPZs created job opportunities for 21,726 Bangladeshi nationals.

A total of 5,02,013 Bangladeshi nationals were working in eight EPZs under Bepza as of June 2018.