Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) has signed US$ 56.33 million new investment agreement with seven companies during corona pandemic.
Among them, five companies are foreign owned by South Korea, Sri Lanka and China and two companies from host country Bangladesh, said a BEPZA press release issued on Tuesday.
BEPZA instructed and monitored the enterprises of EPZs to maintain health hygiene rules strictly from the beginning of the pandemic. Besides following EPZ Labour Act strictly, BEPZA also ensured timely payment of the wages, bonus, dues and other benefits of the EPZs’ workers without terminating workers illegally during this time, the statement added.
The enterprises of EPZs has maintained health protection, hand washing and sanitizing arrangement, medical facilities, disinfection tunnel in the factory, restriction of visitors’ entry inside the zones, safe working environment as per the directions of BEPZA.
Besides producing traditional items, some enterprises of EPZs started producing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with the demand of time with full safety and security. These healthcare products have been used in the country and also exported in abroad.
The operating enterprises of eight EPZs under BEPZA exported goods worth of US$ 3913.14 million during January-August, 2020. The actual investment stood US$ 169.91 million in those enterprises during this time, the statement further said.