All the 100 economic zones of the country will be built as environmentally and ecologically friendly enclaves as Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has taken a mega plan to plant two million trees there to protect environment.
“We have a plan to plant two million trees in the next five years – 400,000 trees every year in economic zones. Tree plantation will be made mandatory for industrial units there,” said BEZA executive chairman Paban Chowdhury.
Talking to reportes he said these trees will be planted along roads, embankments and other selected areas of the economic zones. Initiatives have also been taken to set up two plant museums on 500 acres of land in Mirsarai and 1000 acres of land in Sonadia economic zones, he added.
He said fruit-bearing plants, medicinal plants and timber plants will be planted in the economic zones.
“Equal focus will be made on economic development and environment protection. Planting of trees will be made mandatory for each industrial unit in the economic zones,” he said.
T K group, one of the country’s leading business houses, has started tree plantation in economic zones under its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, said a BSS report.
At least 5 per cent land of an industrial unit will have to be used for tree plantation, he said.
Mentioning Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directive to plant trees in economic zones, BEZA executive chairman said the Prime Minister laid emphasis on building water reservoirs, embedding some specific trees and mangrove forest around coastal economic zones.
According to BEZA, the government has planned develop a total of 100 economic zones at different parts of the country in the next 15 years. Development of 28 economic zones under public and private sectors are progressing fast.
BEZA has already given 6 organisations final clearance and 17 organisations pre-qualification licenses for setting up the economic zones under private sector.
These economic zones are expected to generate a total of 10 million additional jobs and create $40 billion additional export opportunities annually.