Kunming, China, (BBN)-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Saturday said Bangladesh is considering allocating a separate economic and industrial zone in Chittagong for Chinese investors.
Bangladesh Export Processing Zones (EPZs) are attractive places for foreign investment, the premier said.
Hasina made the comment while addressing the 9th China-South Asia Business Forum at Haigeng Conference Centre in China this morning.
Besides, seven exclusive economic zones are being developed in Bangladesh, Hasina added.
Bangladesh would very much like to have China as a valuable partner in sharing its progress and prosperity, she added.
Hasina invited the Chinese business, trade and industry leaders to visit Bangladesh and appraise the realities first-hand.
"I hope that you would surely find a very attractive environment and opportunities of business in this country, offering the most liberal investment policy in South Asia," she said.
Vice President of Maldives Mohamed Jamil Ahmed, Secretary General of SAARC Arjun Bahadur Thapa, President of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ismail Asif, Chairman of China Council for Promotion of International Trade Jiang Sengwei, Secretary of Committee of People's Congress of Yunnan Province Qin Guangrong spoke on the occasion, among others.
Commerce ministers of different SAARC countries, including Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, and leaders of trade bodies from China, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal joined the Forum.
Hasina said Chinese investors might find interest in Bangladesh's special investment programmes like building international airports, seaports, waterways, transport, and expressways under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) and Build-Own-
Operate- Transfer (BOOT) schemes.
"Bangladesh is now producing products from "Ships to Chips". Our seaports, land ports and airports are facilitating local and international business," she said.
Hasina thanked the Governor of Yunnan for inviting her to the 2nd China-South Asia Exposition."It's an appreciating move of Chinese leadership to reach out its neighbors for trade and commerce," she said.
Bangladesh-China relationship is based on close and comprehensive partnership, which has evolved through cooperation based on mutual trust and respect, she added.
"Bangladesh is earnestly desire to strengthen the ties," she added.
Praising China's economic and technological progress, she said China is moving to becoming the largest economy in the world, with economic emancipation of its people.
"This has been possible due to China's dynamic and visionary leadership," she said.
Hasina said the close proximity of Kunming and Yunnan provinces holds a special place in relations between China and Bangladesh.
"Early realisation of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar- Economic- Corridor would bring socioeconomic benefits for the whole region," she said.
Highlighting Bangladesh's recent socioeconomic progress, the PM said Bangladesh is now on the track of becoming a middle-income country, fulfilling its "Vision 2021".
She said Bangladesh's success in different socioeconomic sectors during her immediate past five-year tenure from 2009 to 2013 was remarkable. "During this period, the country's annual GDP growth rate was over six percent," she mentioned.
Hasina said Bangladesh's 50 million people were graduated to be middle-income from low-income group during that time.
"Besides, the country's export earnings increased by 107 percent, remittances by 62 percent, foreign reserves by 217 percent and power capacity by 109 percent during that time," she said.
BBN/SS/AD-07June14-2:55pm (BST)
