Entrepreneurs and executives from various companies investing in labor-intensive industries in this economic zone said the housing and public transportation crisis has made it difficult to tap the required number of workers, leaving investors understandably worried.
Investors say that due to the housing and public transport crisis in the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpnagar area, workers from far-flung places, including Chattogram city, do not want to work here. As a result, companies in the economic sector are facing a crisis of skilled workers.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpnagar is built on an area of 33,805 acres in Mirsarai. Seven industrial organizations have already started production there. Three of these organizations belong to the Bepza economic sector. The companies there, especially labor intensive companies, are facing labor crisis.
When asked, Zaman Ullah, human resources officer of Kaixi Lingerie Bangladesh, told Prothom Alo, “We are the first to start production as an export-oriented garment factory in Bepza Economic Zone of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpanagar. We will recruit 7,000 skilled and unskilled workers in this factory. However, if all the units of the factory remain operational then a total of 11,000 people will get employment. But the housing and public transportation crisis has made it very difficult for us to find workers here. Despite various kinds of campaigning, workers are not being found in the area.
