KaliaKoir Hi-Tech Park Regains Momentum as Google, Meta and TikTok Show Investment Interest: Minister

Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam has said the KaliaKoir Hi-Tech Park in Gazipur has regained momentum, with investment proposals reportedly coming from global technology giants including Google, Meta and TikTok.

The minister made the remarks on Saturday during a visit to the country’s first hi-tech park in KaliaKoir , where he reviewed the prospects and challenges surrounding technology-driven industries, domestic and foreign investment, and employment generation.

The visit was part of the government’s review of progress under its announced 180-day action plan. Following a meeting with officials, the minister visited six to seven industrial facilities operating at the park.

The government’s election manifesto includes a commitment to rebuild and revive the economy by developing Bangladesh into an internationally significant destination for software, app and hardware industries. It also aims to make Bangladeshi products competitive in global markets through the “Made in Bangladesh” initiative.

Against this backdrop, Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam said the BNP-led government had taken initiatives to accelerate investment at the KaliaKoir Hi-Tech Park as part of its long-term plans to implement a “National Green Industrial Policy,” establish an AI hub and expand software, app and hardware manufacturing.

The government is also preparing proposals for fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for investors, he said.

The minister recalled that after the BNP government, led by Khaleda Zia, came to power in 2001, the country’s first ICT Policy was formulated in 2002. The policy included provisions for ICT infrastructure, software industry promotion and the establishment of technology-based industrial zones, including hi-tech industrial parks.

As part of that policy, a decision was taken on February 19, 2004, to establish Bangladesh’s first hi-tech park on 231.65 acres of land in KaliaKoir , Gazipur. An additional 97.33 acres were added in 2016, bringing the total area of the park to approximately 371 acres.

The minister said that following the development of basic infrastructure, land and ready-to-use spaces had been allocated to local and foreign companies. This, he said, created opportunities for the expansion of software, app, hardware and other technology-based industries, while attracting investment and strengthening Bangladesh’s competitiveness in international markets.

According to the minister, a total of 85 companies have so far been allocated land or space at the park, including seven foreign companies. Of the 85 companies, 40 have already begun business or production activities, 28 are currently under construction and another 17 are expected to begin construction soon.

The total proposed investment at the park stands at approximately $1.636 billion, of which around $283 million—equivalent to roughly Tk 3,245 crore—has already been invested. The government has spent more than Tk 500 crore on developing basic infrastructure at the park.

If a proper business ecosystem is established, the park could create direct and indirect employment opportunities for around 100,000 people, the minister said.

Regarding foreign investment, Fakir Mahbub Anam said seven companies from China, Japan, India, South Korea and the United States have submitted investment proposals totaling approximately $629 million.

The development could transform KaliaKoir Hi-Tech Park from a center for domestic technology manufacturing into an important hub for foreign technology companies engaged in manufacturing, assembly, research and development, and exports, he said.

The park currently hosts three mobile phone manufacturers, including Honor and Xiaomi; two laptop manufacturers; one ATM and cash recycler manufacturer; six fiber-optic cable manufacturers; and three automobile companies, including Hyundai.

A range of technology products are also being manufactured at the park, including IoT devices, routers, switches, CCTV systems, air conditioners, refrigerators, home appliances, kidney dialysis machines, kiosks and ATM machines.

Two companies are also working to establish data centers. An AI data center project proposed by a US-based company is currently under construction, with investment proposals reportedly received from global companies including Google, Meta (Facebook) and TikTok.

Despite its potential, the park faces several challenges. Authorities have identified the need to complete unfinished infrastructure, strengthen security and CCTV monitoring, establish a double-line electricity connection to ensure uninterrupted power supply, connect the park to the gas network, complete administrative and social infrastructure, and address staff shortages to improve services for investors.

Other proposed measures include establishing customs house services for investors, undertaking integrated projects to complete unfinished work, introducing regular rail services and revising or updating existing statutory regulatory orders (SROs).

On investment-friendly policies, the minister said proposals were being prepared to provide duty and tax benefits on the import of capital machinery, VAT benefits on essential services such as electricity and gas, expand the list of eligible hi-tech products, and extend incentives to assembly operations alongside manufacturing.

The proposals also include customs and tax concessions on raw materials used for products sold in the domestic market, stable income-tax benefits and separate incentive structures for emerging technology sectors such as EV batteries, solar batteries, UPS batteries and e-bikes.

The minister said sustained investment growth at the KaliaKoir Hi-Tech Park would depend on both improved infrastructure and predictable, long-term policy support.

Such measures could increase local production of technology products, reduce dependence on imports, expand exports and create more high-skilled employment opportunities, he added.

Fakir Mahbub Anam said the government was committed to opening a new chapter for Bangladesh’s technology industry by developing infrastructure for the ICT and hi-tech sectors, creating a technology-driven industrial ecosystem, strengthening links among industry, academia and government, and ensuring faster one-stop services for investors.

The government would prioritize attracting investment, developing skilled human resources, creating entrepreneurs and generating employment in an effort to transform Bangladesh into a “Made in Bangladesh” hub, he said.

The minister’s visit is being viewed as significant for reviewing the current progress of the country’s hi-tech industry and advancing future prospects for investment, manufacturing and technological innovation.

Managing Director (Additional Secretary) of the KaliaKoir Hi-Tech Park Authority Md Fazlur Rahman, senior officials, representatives of relevant government agencies, local administration and law enforcement agencies were present during the visit.

Earlier, at the beginning of his tour, the minister attended an event at the University of Frontier Technology, Bangladesh (UFTB) in KaliaKoir as the chief guest.