Hi-Tech Park Project in Kaliakoir,Gazipur

Background

In the wake of developing a knowledge based economy, Bangladesh has realized that in the field of Science and Technology significant commitments have to be made to achieve high level prosperity in near future. Countries making transition from agro/industrial economy to information economy normally recognize the knowledge-based industries, particularly those related to information technology and biotechnology, as the top priority sector. It is a fact that Information Technology has been identified as the “thrust sector” for the economy of Bangladesh. The Government of Bangladesh has therefore conceived of establishing high-tech and modern industry that envisages supplementing tertiary industries and social well-being undertakings and would figure out high-level industrial parks that can keep pace with the world's economic development.

Hi-Tech parks are being developed in different countries with a purpose to provide adequate infrastructure support services to create an environment well organized for development of need-based industries within the area. Kailakoir Hi-Tech Park is the first state-level Hi-Tech zone conceived by the Government and is a pioneering area opening to the outside world. In the first phase of development, Kaliakoir High-tech Park, will serve as an incubator for turning technology into productive forces. It will be an ideal place for returned overseas students, institutions of higher learning, research institutes and independent entrepreneurs to develop high-tech industries and trade.

Ministry of Science and ICT entrusted with the responsibility to BRTC of BUET for conducting a study for establishing a Hi-Tech park in Bangladesh. BRTC started the project formulation study with a multidisciplinary team in the year 2001. The team visited some countries such as India, Singapore, Malaysia, gathered experience on such endeavours and prepared design, operation and management for a Hi-Tech park at Kaliakoir in Gazipur district.

In the Master Plan of the Hi-Tech park the land has been divided into five blocs and will be developed in different phases. Bloc-1 will have administrative offices and utilities.It will be implemented in the first phase.

At first a PCP with an estimated cost of Tk.25100.00 lakh was sent to the Planning Commission. On 03 Feb 2003 the Pre-ECNEC meeting decided that MOSICT will make efforts to derive funds from different sources through ERD for its implementation and the project would be included in the 2002-2003 ADP as Private Sector Funded Project. The response for achieving funds has not been satisfactory.

MST Technology Centre, a subsidiary organization of Malaysia’s Hi-Tech park authority, Multimedia Development Corporation (MDC) has expressed their interest to establish a Hi-Tech park in the proposed land in Bangladesh resembling to Malaysia’s Multimedia Super Corridor. With this end in view they have conducted a study and submitted their final report in the MOSICT on 27 Aug 2005.

On 03 April 2003 National Taskforce Committee of MOSICT decided to implement the Hi-Tech park project. Accordingly step was taken to establish Hi-Tech park on 231.385 ares of land. A memorandum of understanding was signed between Ministry of land and MOSICT and the land was handed over to MOSICT on 24 April 2004 by the Ministry of Land.

In the year 2004-2005 the Hi-Tech park project was included in the ADP as a project without budget. A project was then proposed to create basic infrastructure facilities from own fund of the Government of Bangladesh to motivate the potential foreign investors for investment. The project has been known as the Basic Infrastructure Development Project for Hi-Tech Park at Kaliakoir (1^st phase) at a cost of Tk.26 crore.

Recently, PriceWaterHouseCooper India engaged by WB under Bangladesh Private Sector Development Support Project (PSDSP) to conduct a feasibility study. The consultant firm has submitted prefinal report.

The Basic Infrastructure for Hi-Tech Park in Kaliakoir, Gazipur Project is progressing smoothly and expected to be completed by September,2009.

Location and facilities

This first phase of the project is expected to be implemented in a period of two tears. The proposed Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park is situated at Gazipur alongside Dhaka-Tangail expressway. It covers an area of 231.685 acres, comprising of industrial base, internal roads, science plaza, and some policy-covering sections. The Park has an excellent location and enjoys easy transportation. It is 40 km. from the Capital city Dhaka and 25 km. from Zia International Airport. The 30 feet wide Dhaka-Tangail expressway beside the zone links up with the inner-ring road of the park and the main communication hub of the country. The latter serves as the access to Zia International Airport, Railways in Dhaka, Tangail or Mymenshing and the sea port at Chittagong.

Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park is planned on a scientific and comprehensive basis and boasts a first rate infrastructure, rationally schemed for the function of industry, commerce, residence, office, culture education, hygiene and equipped with a complete set of roads, water supply, electricity supply, gas supply, telecommunications, drainage and sewage facilities.

At moderate prices, Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park will provide both domestic and foreign investors with land for industrial or commercial use as well as standard factory buildings for Hi-Technology knowledge based economy.

It is hoped that the Park will attract investors from a great number of countries and regions, such as the USA, UK, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Austria, Indonesia, Finland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, etc.

Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park will have all the necessary public facilities. Electricity substations of 220 KV and 35 KV will be installed there. There will be sufficient water supply, gas supply, telephones providing IDD services and other facilities. Renowned multinational corporations are expected to invest and operate in this zone. Its rapid development will offer wide fields of co-operation and huge opportunity of investment to entrepreneurs at home and abroad. We warmly invite entrepreneurs to come here to develop undertakings in the form of solely foreign-funded enterprise, joint venture or co-operative operation and jointly create economic prosperity, taking the science and technological industries without pollution and with high technical content as the orientation. At the same time, the park will also take in enterprises, which enjoy considerable sales potential on the market and have reached a certain scale in such industries such as machinery and clothing.

Industries in the Hi-Tech Park will be environmentally friendly. They will follow the safety standard of ILO and WHO.

Preferential treatment in regard to income tax, customs tax and land development will be accorded to enterprises located and registered in this zone. Serial services for project examination and approval will also be available to investors in Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park.

During its development, the zone will always focus on the goal of Developing and industrializing high technologies, and go on opening wider to the outside world. The zone will establish close relations with different countries and regions in world with enterprises involving foreign elements and Hi-Tech inside the Zone.

Adhering to its principle of "facilitating investors in their pursuit of profits," Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park promises to provide the best possible investment environment, the most satisfactory services and most favorable investment policies. It hopes to work together with both domestic and overseas investors for a better future. Architect Yeafesh Osman, State Minister for Science and ICT, Government of Bangladesh has been the chief patron Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park, who provided necessary foundation for its development and growth.

Objectives

The major objectives of establishing High-Tech Park at Kaliakoir, Gazipur are to

1. attract foreign companies to set up operations in Bangladesh

2. develop indigenous technological capability for the development of the local industries

3. create a conducive atmosphere for establishing ICT, engineering, electronics, telecommunication, biotechnology and other related knowledge based industry.

4. develop 231.685 acres of land ear marked for Hi-Tech park

5. provide necessary administrative support service to the potential entrepreneurs interested in investing at the Hi-Tech park

6. ensure electricity, water, sewerage, gas, telephone, internet and other utility services at the park.

Targets

The Hi-Tech Park at Kaliakoir is envisioned as an integrated, ultra modern techno township that would attract some of the large transnational companies and serve the world class business enterprises. Keeping that in view the potential industries are identified as :

i. Agro-bio-technology and Genetic Engineering

ii. Automobile and Metal Industries

iii. New and Advanced materials

iv. Medical supplies and devices

v. Pharmaceutical and Clinical products

vi. Garments and Textile (R&D)

vii. Plastics

viii. Merchandising and Machinery

ix. Design of Electronic Products

x. Manufacturing and Assembly Electronic Products

xi. Computer hardware

xii. Computer Software

xiii. Communication Hardware

xiv. Communication Software

xv. IT Enabled services

xvi. Human Resource Development Institute

xvii. Design and Consultancy

xviii. Bioinformatics

Outputs

With the achievement of establishing targeted industries in the Hi-Tech Park at Kaliakoir, Gazipur knowledge intensive industries would be set. It is expected that satisfactory outcome on the following features in the context of Bangladesh will be derived:

i. high technology (R&D) content in industries

ii. entry into foreign market with state of the art technology

iii. development of indigenous technology capability

iv. cost advantage

v. availability of knowledge rich manpower

vi. non polluting and internationally accepted work environment of the industries

vii. labour intensity

viii. capital intensity

ix. infrastructure readiness

x. cyber law and IPR law