BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Choudhury with Locus founder & CEO Jean-Paul Gauthier in 2016

In 2016-2017, the World Bank retained Locus Economica to assist the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and the Hi-Tech Parks Authority (HTPA) with its economic zones (EZs) and hi-tech parks (HTP) programs. Our work was a central plank in the World Bank's Private Sector Development Support Program, which is a US$190 million project (including two IDA credits and one UK-DfID grant) that facilitates private investment and job creation in the EZs and HTPs and promotes compliance with international standards.

Our services to Bangladesh centered on improving the organizational efficiency and functioning of BEZA and HTPA and its public-private partnership (PPP) activities. Specifically, we:

Conducted institutional and functional assessments of BEZA and HTPA services, capacities, productivity, and resources and recommended improvements
Conducted a training needs assessment of BEZA and HTPA staff
Analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the procurement procedures for selecting private-sector partners for EZ and HTP projects and provided recommendations
Conducted a thorough legal analysis of concession agreements for EZs and HTPs and identified weaknesses and recommended improvements.
Led presentations and workshops on the above matters

Plans for the Kaliakor Hi Tech Park, which is being partially developed by Summit Technopolis