Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has called for the fast-tracking of critical infrastructure development in the Matarbari region, aiming to transform the coastal zone into Bangladesh’s leading manufacturing and export-oriented free trade hub.
Chairing a high-level meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna on Monday, Prof Yunus reviewed the progress of the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative (MIDI), a flagship strategic partnership between Bangladesh and Japan.
The meeting was chaired by Principal Secretary Md. Siraj Uddin Miah and attended by SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, along with top officials from the Road Transport, Shipping, Energy, Power, and Local Government ministries. Sarwar Alam, Director General of the MIDI Cell, delivered a detailed presentation on ongoing projects.
“We envision Matarbari as the nation's largest hub for ports, logistics, manufacturing and energy,” Prof Yunus said. “To realise this vision, we must attract substantial foreign investment.”
Highlighting strong international interest, he called for the urgent preparation of a comprehensive master plan to ensure the region’s readiness for global investors.
The Chief Adviser directed the Road Transport and Shipping ministries to accelerate road construction linking the MIDI zone with national highways and to build modern terminals for large container vessels. He also emphasized the need for planned urban development, including residential zones and civic infrastructure, to support an influx of industrial workers.
Prof Yunus noted that development of the MIDI region will be a key agenda item during his official visit to Japan from May 28–31, where he will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and seek further investments and cooperation.
During the meeting, officials confirmed Japan’s interest in establishing its second exclusive Japanese Economic Zone in the MIDI region, following the successful development of the Araihazar zone in Narayanganj.
Several multinational companies have shown interest in investing in the region, including Saudi Arabian petrochemical giant Aramco, Abu Dhabi Ports, Saudi Arabian port operator Red Sea Gateway, Japanese power producer JERA and Malaysian petrochemical company Petronas.
One of MIDI’s cornerstone projects is the construction of Bangladesh’s first deep-sea port at Matarbari, being developed by Penta-Ocean Construction Co. Ltd. and TOA Corporation, with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The port is expected to drastically enhance Bangladesh’s maritime connectivity and trade capacity.
The MIDI initiative aims to integrate logistics, energy, industrial infrastructure, and urban planning to build a sustainable and investment-friendly economic corridor in southern Bangladesh.
