Groundbreaking for Anwara CEIZ Today, Set to Create 100,000 Jobs and Attract $500m Investment

Anwara CEIZ Breaks Ground Today After Decade-Long Delay, Eyes $500m Investment and 100,000 Jobs

More than a decade after it was first proposed, construction of the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) in Chattogram's Anwara upazila is finally set to begin today. The landmark project is expected to attract $500 million in foreign investment and create around 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, following years of delays caused by disputes over developers, financing and administrative procedures.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury are expected to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at the 800-acre project site.

Developed under a government-to-government (G2G) framework, the CEIZ is one of the largest industrial cooperation initiatives between Bangladesh and China. BEZA expects the zone to become a major hub for foreign investment once operational.

BEZA Executive Member (Planning and Development) Maj Gen (retd) Md Nazrul Islam said the project is scheduled for completion by December 31, 2031.

"Although the implementation period is five years, we aim to prepare at least 60% of the industrial plots for factory construction within the first three years," he said.

A Decade in the Making

The idea for a dedicated industrial zone for Chinese manufacturers was first proposed in 2014, when Bangladesh offered around 800 acres of land in Anwara. An initial memorandum of understanding was signed later that year.

In September 2015, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the project with an initial allocation of Tk420.37 crore, to be financed through Chinese loans.

The project gained further momentum during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Bangladesh in 2016, when it was formally incorporated into bilateral G2G cooperation. At the time, officials anticipated Chinese factories would begin operations within a few years.

However, disagreements between BEZA and the original developer, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), over development terms and land lease arrangements stalled progress despite land acquisition moving ahead. By 2022, nearly 800 acres had been acquired.

A breakthrough came on July 16, 2022, when the Chinese government appointed China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) as the new developer.

In October 2023, BEZA and CRBC signed a shareholders' agreement under which BEZA retained a 30% stake based on the value of a 50-year land lease, while CRBC acquired the remaining 70% by committing $100 million toward developing the zone. The two parties also established Bangladesh CEIZ Company Limited as a joint venture, although physical work remained limited through 2024.

The project regained momentum following last year's political transition. During Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to China in June this year, BEZA and CRBC exchanged the final developer agreement, clearing the way for construction.

Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen later said the long-delayed project had made tangible progress and revealed that more than 30 Chinese companies had already expressed interest in investing approximately $500 million in the zone.

Shortly before the Prime Minister's visit, ECNEC approved a Tk4,189 crore infrastructure package covering a 20,000-deadweight-tonne multipurpose jetty, an access road, four-lane internal roads, a 25-million-litre central effluent treatment plant, a power substation, gas and water supply facilities, and nearly 12 kilometres of boundary wall.

Economic Potential

Bangladesh-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mohammad Khorshed Alam said the zone is expected to attract Chinese investment across sectors including garments, pharmaceuticals, electronics, renewable energy, light engineering and agro-processing.

"We expect significant Chinese investment in garment manufacturing, mobile phone assembly, footwear, electronics and sports equipment industries," he said.

Mohammad Yusuf of the Bangladesh Studies Department at the University of Chittagong said the Karnaphuli Tunnel, Matarbari Deep Seaport, Bay Terminal and the Anwara CEIZ together could create a powerful economic corridor, transforming Chattogram into a modern industrial and logistics hub.

However, he cautioned that the project's success will depend on timely completion of critical infrastructure, warning that delays in roads, the jetty, utility services or the effluent treatment plant could undermine investor confidence.