KEPZ stuck in ‘bad political culture’

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed says “bad political culture” is responsible for the ongoing row between the Korean EPZ and the government.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 Dec 2014, 11:46 AM
Updated : 23 Dec 2014, 05:36 PM

He said on Tuesday that it was the Awami League government that had allotted land for the Korean EPZ in Chittagong.

But “when we came to power (in 2009) we misunderstood him (the owner of Youngone) and his relations with the previous government (of BNP),” he said. He said BNP had done the same thing.

“We allotted the land (in 1999). But unfortunately next government (BNP) smelt a rat in that ,” he said.

“As a political worker, I regret the very bad culture in our country. But we are now trying to solve this (solving KEPZ problem) and we hope if we can resolve that definitely foreign investors will come to Bangladesh”.

The commerce minister was speaking at a dialogue on Korea’s development experience and lessons for Bangladesh organised by think-tank, CPD.
The government allotted KEPZ more than 2,400 acres of land in 1999, but did not hand over the ‘deed of transfer and mutation’ of the acquired land as yet.
This after the KEPZ authorities had developed more than one-third of the land and about 7,000 workers had been employed in 18 factory buildings it built.
It was never made clear on what ground the deed was not transferred.
But recently finance minister had said that they would take back part of the land as KEPZ failed to use it properly.
If it is so, KEPZ authorities can go to the international court and that eventually can erode investors’ confidence in Bangladesh.
The commerce minister did not talk about taking back the land.
But he said settling the whole issue was in their consideration.
Earlier, speaking at the seminar, Korean ambassador in Dhaka Lee Yun-Young said he hoped that “all remaining issues will be solved as soon as possible in the best interest of Bangladesh”.
He said success of KEPZ would attract lots of FDIs for Bangladesh as proven in Vietnam.
“KEPZ will be role model of Bangladesh economy as the international community in Bangladesh is pointing out,” he said.
Korea became the 13th largest economy in the world and seventh exporting country 50 years after the Korean War that ravaged the country in 1953.
The Commerce Minister said Bangladesh has lots to learn from Korea about how they developed.
“We were also destroyed by the war in 1971,” he said.