Uttara Export Processing Zone, Export processing zone in Nilphamari, Bangladesh
The Uttara Export Processing Zone is an industrial area in the Shongalshi area near Nilphamari in northern Bangladesh. The site contains many plots set aside for factories and production facilities, making it one of the larger industrial locations in this part of the country.
Bangladesh opened this zone in 2001, making it the seventh export processing zone established in the country. It was set up in a region that had little industrial infrastructure at the time, with the aim of drawing manufacturing investment to the north.
The zone is one of the few industrial areas in northern Bangladesh where many workers from surrounding rural villages find their first job in manufacturing. The presence of the factories has changed daily life for many families in the Nilphamari area, bringing a new rhythm to what was once a mostly agricultural region.
The site sits in a rural area and is mainly open for commercial and industrial purposes, so it is worth contacting the relevant authority before visiting. Access to parts of the zone may be restricted, and a general visit is not the same as entering an active factory.
Although the zone is far from major cities, international companies such as Evergreen Products Factory and Ventura Leatherware have chosen to set up manufacturing operations here. This makes it a rare case of a globally connected production site in a remote rural corner of Bangladesh.
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