The government set its sight on creating 12 million (1.2 crore) jobs by 2030 through economic zones and hi-tech parks, speakers said at a workshop on Thursday.
The workshop on 'development and cooperation of Bangladesh Economic Zones and Hi-Tech Parks" was organised by the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka at the Hotel Westin.
"We are going to set up 100 EPZs (export processing zones) by 2030 which will help add $ 40 billion to the country's export earnings," said Mohammad Ayub at the workshop.
He is the executive member of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA).
He said Bangladesh was encouraged by China's model of EPZ-based economic development.
He sought Chinese cooperation in building the EPZ infrastructure so that natural disasters could not harm the export zones set to be built in coastal areas.
Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority Managing Director Hosne Ara Begum spoke on the occasion as the chief guest.
She said China contributed a lot to the country's economic development.
In this regard she mentioned the setting up of data centres at the Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park with Chinese assistance.
She urged the Chinese government to encourage their investors to invest more in the economic zones and hi-tech parks in Bangladesh.
Bhibhas Chandra Mandol, member of the executive committee of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), said in recent years the foreign direct investments (FDI) had been increasing significantly.
"In 1990 it was only $ 3.2 million, but now the FDI inflow has reached $ 2.15 billion," he said.
Li Guangjun, economic and commercial counsellor at the Chinese Embassy, said China was keen to be an effective partner in Bangladesh's development efforts.
Economic Relations Division (ERD) additional secretary Zahidul Haque said China was gradually becoming an important partner in Bangladesh's economic development.
He noted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to China in 2014 and President Xi Jinping's visit to Dhaka in 2016 added a momentum to the economic cooperation between the two countries.
