DHAKA, Oct 15, 2019 (BSS) – Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) is set to launch its ‘One Stop Service (OSS) Centre’ formally on October 21 to provide all the necessary services to the investors of the economic zones at a single window.
Talking to BSS, BEZA Chief Law Officer Dr Malay Choudhury said though the OSS centre will formally be inaugurated on the day, BEZA has already started to provide most of the services through the centre.
Under the OSS centre, he said, investors in the economic zones will get all sorts of services at a single window to start their business within a short time.
Prime Minister’s private industry and investment adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman is expected to attend the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest while BEZA executive chairman Paban Chowdhury will be in the chair.
Prime Minister’s principal secretary Md Nojibur Rahman, principal coordinator (SDG Affairs) to the Prime Minister’s Office Md Abul Kalam Azad, chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office Sajjadul Hassan, Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Sheikh Fazle Fahim and chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Bangladesh Hitoshi Hirata will attend the ceremony as special guests.
BEZA executive member (additional secretary) Mohammed Ayub will deliver the welcome address.
Dr Malay Choudhury informed that BEZA had selected a total of 107 services under OSS centre. Out of the services, BEZA is providing 52 services directly while the other 55 are being provided through the assistance of different ministries or departments, he added.
“Now, BEZA is providing most of the services manually, but the services will become online once. Now, the authority is providing 11 services online and more four services will be added soon,” he said.
A senior official informed that BEZA will sign four memorandums of understanding (MoU) with NBR, Department of Environment (DOE), Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) and Sonali Bank for providing their services online under the OSS centre.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Bangladesh Office Representative Wataru Osawa said BEZA OSS centre is the single window service for the EZ unit investors to provide hassle-free services under one roof.
“It enables domestic as well as international investors to get relevant government services such as submission of regulatory documents and obtaining of necessary permits or approvals both online and offline. BEZA OSS centre also welcomes to support and advice all the investors facing any issues on the business activities in Economic Zones,” he added.
He said JICA is supporting BEZA for improving the doing business climate in the country by removing all barriers of starting a business.
He also informed that they are planning to establish a Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) for helping investors to make a clear plan of their business.
Describing the one-stop service as a web-based one, Wataru Osawa said, previously investors had to apply physically and go door-to-door to meet all service providers to get permissions for getting utility connections and other services.