BEPZA Economic Zone-2 Makes Export Debut with $50,000 Machinery Shipment

🛢 Mirsharai, Chattogram, Bangladesh — BEPZA Economic Zone-2 in Mirsharai, Chattogram has made its export debut with Lee’s Tobacco Machinery Company Ltd shipping $50,000 worth of machinery — marking the zone’s transition from construction phase to operational phase.

📊 Lee’s Tobacco Machinery Company Ltd, the zone’s first exporting enterprise, shipped the machinery on 8 September 2026 after obtaining its export permission from BEPZA on 3 September 2026.

✅ With this export, Economic Zone-2 has entered its operational phase, bringing the number of operational BEPZA industrial zones to 10 — comprising eight Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and two Economic Zones.

💬 BEPZA Executive Director: Expanding Indonesia Trade

💬 Md Whaheduzzaman, Executive Director of BEPZA Economic Zone-2, said the export could help Bangladesh expand trade with Indonesia and diversify its export destinations.

💬 “Bangladesh’s exports to Indonesia are comparatively low. In this context, the commencement of exports from BEPZA Economic Zone-2 to Indonesia is expected to contribute positively to expanding Bangladesh’s export market and diversifying its export destinations,” he said.

🤝 Lee's Tobacco Machinery: UAE-Singapore Investment

💰 Established with investment from the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, Lee’s Tobacco Machinery is a 100% export-oriented enterprise that manufactures machinery used in tobacco product manufacturing.

📊 BEPZA approved the company on 22 January 2025. Key facts about the enterprise:

• 💰 Total investment: $3.72 million
• 👥 Current employment: 29 officers, employees and workers
• 🌏 100% export-oriented
• 💼 Sector: Tobacco product manufacturing machinery
• 🤝 Investment origin: UAE and Singapore

🏭 BEPZA Economic Zone: Mirsharai Industrial Hub

📊 BEPZA Economic Zone was established on 1,138.55 acres in Mirsharai, Chattogram and was later divided into Economic Zone-1 and Economic Zone-2 to facilitate more effective administrative and operational management.

📊 Status of the two zones:

• 🏭 Economic Zone-1: 47 enterprises allotted plots, of which 15 have started production
• 🏭 Economic Zone-2: 18 enterprises allotted plots; Lee’s Tobacco Machinery has started commercial operations; three more enterprises expected to begin production and exports shortly; remaining 14 enterprises under construction

💰 Strategic Context for Bangladesh Export Diversification

📊 For Bangladesh’s export diversification agenda, the BEPZA Economic Zone-2 export debut offers several positive signals:

• 🌏 Market diversification — exports to Indonesia open a new ASEAN market destination
• 🤝 FDI inflow — UAE and Singapore investment signals foreign investor confidence
• 🏭 Sector diversification — tobacco machinery represents non-RMG export category
• 📊 Zone operationalisation — Mirsharai Economic Zone transitioning from build-out to production
• 👥 Employment generation — 29 jobs created at first exporting enterprise, more to come

📋 BEPZA: Strengthening Export Infrastructure

🏛 BEPZA (Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority) operates 10 industrial zones across Bangladesh — eight Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and two Economic Zones:

• 🏭 Eight EPZs: Chattogram, Dhaka, Adamjee, Comilla, Ishwardi, Karnaphuli, Uttara, and Mongla
• 🏭 Two Economic Zones: BEPZA Economic Zone-1 and Zone-2 in Mirsharai

📊 Together, these zones host hundreds of enterprises spanning RMG, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, leather goods, agro-processing, light engineering and tobacco machinery. The zones contribute significantly to Bangladesh’s export earnings, foreign direct investment inflows, and employment generation.

🌏 Indonesia-Bangladesh Trade Opportunity

📊 Bangladesh’s exports to Indonesia are currently modest — with bilateral trade skewed heavily in Indonesia’s favour. Indonesia is a major supplier of:

• 🌾 Palm oil — Bangladesh imports large quantities for edible oil production
• 🏛 Cement clinker — key raw material for Bangladesh cement industry
• 🏛 Coal — for power generation
• 💰 Machinery — various industrial equipment

🤝 The commencement of machinery exports from BEPZA Economic Zone-2 to Indonesia could mark the beginning of a more balanced bilateral trade relationship — creating a pathway for Bangladesh to supply niche industrial equipment to the world’s fourth most populous country and largest economy in Southeast Asia.

📈 Outlook: Mirsharai Economic Zone Build-Out

✅ For Mirsharai Economic Zone, the first export shipment is a significant milestone. With 18 enterprises allotted plots in Economic Zone-2 alone, and three more expected to begin production shortly, the zone is poised for rapid operationalisation in the coming months.

📊 Combined with Economic Zone-1 (where 15 of 47 allotted enterprises are already in production), the Mirsharai complex has the potential to host over 65 enterprises once fully operational — creating thousands of jobs and contributing meaningfully to Bangladesh’s export earnings.

🌏 For BEPZA more broadly, the Economic Zone-2 export debut validates the strategy of developing economic zones in addition to traditional EPZs — offering investors a wider range of location options and sector specialisations. As Bangladesh prepares for LDC graduation and seeks to maintain export competitiveness, the expansion of the BEPZA zone network — with operational success stories like Lee’s Tobacco Machinery — will play a critical role in attracting FDI and diversifying the country’s export base beyond ready-made garments.

✅ For Lee’s Tobacco Machinery Company, the first export shipment is just the beginning. With $3.72 million invested and 29 employees on board, the company has established a foundation that could scale significantly as it captures market share in Indonesia and other tobacco-producing markets across Southeast Asia and beyond.