As the sun rises, Siddhirganj in Narayanganj bustles with the workers arriving at the Adamjee Export Processing Zone (AEPZ) from different parts of the city. Some carry lunch boxes, while others have bags in their hands. The area of the former Adamjee Jute Mill comes alive with the activity of around 80,000 workers, both men and women.
An EPZ was established there after the jute mill was shut down. Today, 80,000 workers are employed at 47 industrial enterprises in the EPZ. Built on the abandoned land of Adamjee Jute Mill, the EPZ has now become one of the country's major centres of exports and employment. Through the skilled hands of workers, factories in the EPZ produce safety jackets, blazers and bridal gowns for newlyweds, all of which are exported to countries across the world, including those in Europe.
The EPZ also houses factories producing garments accessories, safety shoes, textiles, electronic and electrical products, OPC drums for laser printers and photocopy machines, and car seat covers. Exports of these products generate around US$1 billion in revenue every year.
The Adamjee EPZ has not only boosted export earnings; it has also transformed the livelihoods of workers across the area. Various aspects of the EPZ became known after visiting several factories and speaking with workers there last Saturday.
Farzana Akter from Brahmanbaria works at a factory in Adamjee EPZ. She earns Tk 19,000 a month. She has been working at the same company for seven years because of its good working environment.
Adamjee EPZ is operated under the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA). According to BEPZA sources, another 10 enterprises will begin production at the EPZ within this year. Once they become operational, they will create employment for around 20,000 additional people. The total number of workers at Adamjee EPZ will then exceed 100,000.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Adamjee EPZ Executive Director Md Abdur Rahman Bhuiyan said, “Investors are showing strong interest in investing in this EPZ because uninterrupted supplies of gas, electricity and water are ensured. That is why new factories are being established to manufacture bicycles and various other products.”
Billion-dollar exports
According to BEPZA, Adamjee EPZ was established in 2006 on 292 acres of land along the river, with 276 industrial plots. Since its inception, around US$847 million has been invested in the EPZ. Over the past 20 years, goods worth US$11 billion have been exported.
Factories at Adamjee EPZ produce garments for brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors and Van Heusen. In the latest 2025–26 fiscal year, the EPZ exported goods worth US$1.18 billion. Exports amounted to US$1.15 billion in the 2024–25 fiscal year.
Where the investments come from
Of the 47 enterprises at Adamjee EPZ, 26 are foreign companies. Nine have joint local and foreign investment, while 12 are fully domestically owned.
Among the 26 foreign-invested enterprises, nine are from China and Hong Kong, while India, the United States and Japan have five each, making a total of 15 enterprises. There are also foreign direct investment and joint-ownership enterprises from South Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka and Ukraine.
Existing foreign companies are also interested in making additional investments in the EPZ. Ukraine's Super Protective Shoe Company manufactures safety shoes there and employs more than 1,000 people. Its General Manager, Md Aslam Uddin, told Prothom Alo, “We are looking for space for a new investment. We plan to invest another US$10 million. If we cannot find land in Adamjee, we may have to acquire land elsewhere.”
Many enterprises at Adamjee EPZ also provide daycare facilities. One such factory is Japan's TS Tech, which manufactures car seat covers. Around 400 workers are employed there. During an on-site visit, it was found that the Japanese company has a daycare centre designed for 19 children, with four trained female employees looking after them.
The company's manager, Md Mahbubur Rahman, said, “We take special care of female workers from the time they become pregnant.”
How it began
Adamjee Jute Mill was established in 1950 in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, at the initiative of three brothers from the Adamjee family. Production began in 1951, and within a short time the mill became one of the largest jute mills in the country.
After independence, the mill was nationalised and came under the management of the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation. It subsequently fell into crisis due to prolonged financial losses, management weaknesses, technological limitations and worker unrest. Because of continued losses, the government shut down the jute mill in 2002 on the advice of the World Bank. The closure left 20,000–25,000 workers and employees without jobs.
But the story of Adamjee Jute Mill did not end there. Plans were developed to bring activity back to the silent mill and make productive use of its land and facilities while creating employment. As part of this plan, the government transferred the mill's land to BEPZA in 2004.
Then Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia formally inaugurated Adamjee EPZ in 2006. This marked the beginning of a new era of modern industry on the site of the historic jute mill. The once-silent industrial area once again came alive with the bustle of workers.
Since then, economic activity has continued to grow. At the same site where more than 20,000 workers once lost their jobs after the jute mill was shut down, new industries have now created livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people.