PM to inaugurate Karnaphuli Drydock SEZ Sunday

Economic Reporter :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate a total of 50 industries and infrastructure and lay the foundation stone along with the ‘Karnaphuli Drydock Special Economic Zone’ (SEZ) on Sunday.
The inaugural ceremony will be through virtually from GanaBhaban at 10.40 am. Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) organized this programme marking the Golden Jubilee of Independence. After the video screening on the activities of BEZA, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, MP of Chittagong-1, Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, and the Prime Minister will speak at the end.
It is mentionable that the ‘Karnaphuli Drydock Special Economic Zone’ is located in Badalpura and Shah Mirpur south area of the Karnaphuli River. Karnaphuli Ship Builders Limited established it by taking land from Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) in March last year.
The World Bank has provided a soft loan of Tk 800 crore for the drydock construction cost. This drydock is 285 meters long and 56 meters wide with a draft of 14 meters. It is possible to build and repair ships of 100,000 tons at the dock. Construction of another drydock at a cost of Tk 1200 crore is also underway.
Construction of two jetties under Karnaphuli Drydock Special Economic Zone at Anwara on the south bank of Karnaphuli River has already been completed.
Foreign cargo ships have started arriving at the jetty and loading-unloading activities are going on regularly, which is playing a helpful role in reducing congestion and productivity of cargo ships of Chittagong port. As a result, foreign currency is being saved due to reduction in idle waiting of ships especially at outer anchorage. Two ships of 170 meters long can dock at the jetty and 10-12 ships can unload goods at the same time. And it is possible to redeem 6000 tons daily and 180000 tons per month. Under the economic zone, 20.98 acres of land will be leased by BEZA for the construction of 2 more jetties and container terminals, and 2 more jetties will be constructed on Karnaphuli Ship Builders’ own land.
The project inauguration and foundation stone lying will be held simultaneously from a total of 8 venues. The venues are respectively; Ganabhavan, Dhaka, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (Mirsrai, Chittagong), Srihatta Economic Zone (Srihatta, Moulvi Bazar), Karnaphuli Drydock SEZ (Anwara, Chittagong), Meghna Industrial Economic Zone (Sonargaon Narayanganj), Jamalpur Economic Zone (Jamalpur Sadar), Sabrang Tourism Park (Sabrang, Cox’s Bazar) and Hossaindi Economic Zone (Gazaria, Munshiganj). The event will conclude through an exchange of views with investors from the last economic zone.
It is mentionable that Karnaphuli Ship Builders Limited has already built 1200 ships and boats, repaired about 800 ships and built 50 dredgers and handed them over to the government.