Economic zones to come under eco-friendly performance rating
The Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (Beza) is set to classify the country's economic zones into bronze, silver, gold, and platinum tiers, aligning with international standards to enhance the environmental sustainability of the production process.
The initiative has been undertaken with a focus on meeting the demand for environmentally friendly production in the global market and attracting future investments.
The government is in the process of developing a guideline called the Green and Resilient Economic Zone (GREZ) for this purpose.
On Monday, an event was held at a hotel in the capital to introduce the draft guideline to government stakeholders and representatives from the economic zones.
As per the draft guidelines, economic zones will be categorised into bronze, silver, gold, and platinum tiers, evaluating their environmental, social, economic, and management performance.
This marks the first initiative aimed at categorising the country's economic zones as environmentally friendly on a local level.
Currently, companies engaged in exports in Bangladesh, particularly those in the garment and textile sector, receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certificates from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) in recognition of their environmentally friendly practices. There are over 200 LEED-certified factories in the country.
According to Beza data, the government has launched 100 economic zones, with 92 of them receiving approval. Industrial production has commenced in 12 of these economic zones, while infrastructure development is underway in 32 others.
Beza sources said pilot activities for environmental categorisation will commence in three economic zones, with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar in Mirsarai, Chattogram, and Meghna Industrial Economic Zone in Sonargaon, Narayanganj, among the selected locations.
Abdullah Al Mahmud Faruk, project director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar, told The Business Standard, "The draft guideline will be sent to the Prime Minister's Office soon. We hope to finalise it and start operations within the next two to three months if we get approval from there."
He said, "Presently, there are 450 environmentally rated economic zones worldwide. If we can designate our economic zones as environmentally friendly through this rating system, it will have a positive impact on global exports and open up opportunities for increased investment in our country."
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