Dhaka: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone (BEPZA) authority to showcase Bangladesh to the world in order to increase further investment in the country's industrial sector.

In a meeting at the Chief Adviser's office in Tejgaon on Monday (January 6), BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman submitted BEPZA's annual report for the fiscal year 2023-24 to the Chief Adviser.

At the same time, the Chief Adviser said, "Create a team for economic diplomacy and showcase Bangladesh to the world. For this, coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if necessary."

The Chief Adviser asked to take initiatives to bring in investment from those countries by involving Bangladeshi students studying abroad, especially those in China and Japan.

He said, “Students living abroad can help investors overcome the language barrier and invest in the country.”

BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman said they are getting positive response from investors amid the July-August uprising in Bangladesh and the changing global political landscape.

“In the last three weeks, we have received an investment proposal of US dollars 135 million from Chinese investors. Discussions are underway for more investment,” he told the chief adviser.

He added that currently, there are eight export processing zones operating in Bangladesh, with 452 factories. Another 136 factories are under construction in these zones. Of the operating factories, more than 100 are owned by local investors and most of the remaining factories are joint ventures.

52 percent of these factories produce ready-made garments, textile items and garment accessories. The remaining factories produce miscellaneous products such as coffins and toys.

Major General Zia told the Chief Adviser that investors have informed about some of the issues including uninterrupted gas and electricity supply, bonded warehouse facilities in the BEPZA area, direct flights between Chattogram and Shanghai and visa counselor services in Shanghai, China. He also said that investment could increase if these facilities are provided.

Chief Adviser Professor Yunus urged BEPZA to explore the possibility of setting up solar power plants in export processing zones and work on gas exploration. At the same time, he also asked him to work specifically on how the distribution system can be improved.

He also directed to look into whether Bangladesh can benefit from importing energy from neighboring countries.

Special Envoy of the Chief Adviser Lutfe Siddiqui and Principal Secretary Md. Siraj Uddin Mia were present in the meeting.

The current situation is that municipalities have no income, most of them have outstanding salaries. Therefore, a proposal to abolish municipalities may be made, said Local Government Reform Commission Chairman Professor Tofail Ahmed.

He said, District Council, Upazila Council, local government elections are each a different type of election system. We want to change this system. For this, we will propose to hold all elections in the parliamentary system. For this purpose, we want to make a unified law. The current situation is that municipalities have no income; most of them have outstanding salaries. Therefore, a proposal to abolish municipalities will be made.

Professor Tofail Ahmed said this at a meeting with representatives of print and electronic media at the conference room of the National Institute of Local Government (NILG) under the Local Government Department in Agargaon, the capital, on Monday (January 6).

Dr. Tofail Ahmed said, local government elections should be made non-partisan; we will make such a proposal. Meanwhile, the current situation is that municipalities have no income; most of them have outstanding salaries. Therefore, it may be proposed to abolish the municipalities. Besides, there is no public involvement in the district councils. There is no account of its budget or projects. Therefore, to involve the people, the district council election system needs to be changed. We want members to be elected from all the upazilas under the district. In addition, there will be an organization called District Planning. They will make all the development plans and look after the implementation. This is how we are thinking.

He said that from 2021 to 2024, about Tk. 23 thousand crore has been spent on local government elections. If these elections were held together, the cost would have come down to less than Tk. 600 crore. If all the elections including the parliament were held together, the total cost could be around Tk. 1 thousand crore. Therefore, our proposal would be to hold local government elections along with the parliament elections. We want to submit our proposal to the government by the last week of February. Specifically, on February 24.

Dr. Tofail Ahmed said that the Constitutional Reform Commission is looking into the issue of MPs' involvement in local affairs. However, we will have suggestions there so that MPs do not interfere in any work of local government. We are also looking at how taxes can be coordinated with local governments to increase local government revenue.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has announced that Metrorail services, including fares, will be exempt from VAT.

A special order signed by NBR Second Secretary Barrister Md. Badruzzaman Munshi on Monday (January 6) informed this information.

The order stated that this decision will be effective until December 21 of this year.

If the Indian government does not send Sheikh Hasina back, then if the country allows it, the National Independent Investigation Commission (NIIC) President Major General ALM Fazlur Rahman has said that if the Indian government does not send her back, then Sheikh Hasina will be interrogated there if the country allows it.

He made this statement at a program organized on Monday (January 6) at Rawa Club in the capital to exchange views with the families of the martyrs in the BDR massacre.

He said, it is not enough to just say that local and foreign people together committed the BDR massacre. It is not enough to say that India is involved; evidence must be presented in its favor. He also said that all small and big evidence will be considered with importance at this time.

Regarding the repatriation of Sheikh Hasina, he said that if India does not send Sheikh Hasina back to the country, the investigation commission will go to India and interrogate Sheikh Hasina if they allow it. The work will continue even if no security or vehicles are provided.

Major General ALM Fazlur Rahman said that the National Independent Investigation Commission will remain impartial in the BDR killings, and the investigation will be carried out impartially with the cooperation of everyone. In the past 16 years, much evidence of the BDR killings has been destroyed. Whatever happens now will be done openly.

Stating that efforts will be made to complete the investigation of the BDR killings within three months, he said that there is no intention to extend the time. However, if necessary, an application for an extension will be made. The commission wants everyone to get justice.