Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is expected to visit the country’s northern district of Kurigram on March 28 during his tour to Bangladesh to attend the Independence Day celebrations, and visit the proposed “Bhutanese Special Economic Zone” in the district, a joint initiative of Bangladesh and Bhutan.
In 2015, at a rally at Kurigram Government College ground, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself announced that she would build a special economic zone in the district and remove the stigma of the people of the district forever.
In a bilateral meeting with the Bhutanese King and Queen in London in May 2023, Premier Sheikh Hasina proposed the country to establish a special economic zone in Kurigram. Later, the district administration and Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) started proceedings to set up the SEZ.
Seeking cooperation from all to establish the economic zone, BEZA Chairman Shaikh Yusuf Harun said the special economic zone is being set up in Kurigram district to implement the promise given by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The district administration has already handed over 133 acres of land to the BEZA and arrangements are underway to acquire another 86 acres of land. A total of 211 acres of land will be required, he said.
On March 10, a Bhutanese delegation visited the proposed economic zone. They are very interested in economic zones. This will open a new milestone in the economic and trade relations between the two countries, the BEZA chairman hoped.
“We hope to sign an agreement with the current Bhutanese king on the economic zone. If all goes well, Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck will visit Kurigram Economic Zone on March 28,” he informed this while visiting the economic zone on Thursday.
At present, the district is known as a poor district throughout the year due to lack of industries and factories. This time, the residents of that district are using their rivers to sow some hope. They want to change their fate centered on the Dharla River.
As there are no industries and factories in the district, most of the people of the chars and students go to the big cities of the country including the capital Dhaka to work as labourers due to river erosion and floods every year.
Due to not being economically self-sufficient, the number of child marriages in the district increases and the number of dropouts increases.
As a result, the poverty rate in the district is increasing gradually. The establishment of the proposed ‘Bhutanese Special Economic Zone’ based on Government to Government (G2G) would reduce the poverty rate in the district.
At the same time, many people hope that the people of the district will contribute to the development of the district by alleviating their poverty.
Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saidul Arif said the connectivity between Kurigram and India and Bhutan is very good. Bhutan has connectivity facilities with two land ports in Kurigram and Chilmari river port.
The special economic zone will increase the capacity of the people, most of the people of this district will be able to live a better life than before, he said, adding that the government is working towards that goal.