Once home to the loss-making Adamjee Jute Mills, the abandoned industrial land at Siddhirganj has been transformed into one of Bangladesh's key export and employment hubs.
Adamjee Export Processing Zone (EPZ) exported goods worth $1.179 billion in FY2025-26, crossing the $1-billion mark for the second consecutive fiscal year, according to the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA).
Spread across nearly 292 acres, the EPZ now houses 47 operational enterprises, employing 76,027 people. Total investment has reached $847 million, while cumulative exports since its establishment have stood at $11.112 billion.
Another 10 enterprises are under construction and expected to begin production by 2027. Once operational, annual exports could exceed $1.5 billion, while direct employment could reach 100,000, BEPZA expects.
However, the EPZ was originally designed to generate annual exports worth around $750 million once fully operational.
The zone produces a diverse range of products, including ready-made garments, high-end bridal wear, suits, blazers, safety footwear, military boots and automotive components. The products are shipped to Europe, the US, Japan and other major markets.
On Saturday, speaking to journalists at his office, Adamjee EPZ Executive Director Md Abdur Rahman Bhuiyan said the zone had crossed the $1-billion export threshold for the second consecutive year.
"The project proposal estimated annual exports of around $750 million once the EPZ became fully operational. But exports crossed $1 billion in FY2024-25. With the 10 factories now under construction coming into production, annual exports could exceed $1.5 billion," he said.
He said investor interest in the zone remained strong, but all plots had already been allocated.
"We are trying to expand the EPZ further to meet the growing demand from investors," he said.
During a visit to the zone, we found that it emerged as a diversified industrial hub from the site of a once-struggling jute mill. The transformation of Adamjee EPZ reflects a major shift in the use of the country's industrial land.
The zone has also emerged as a manufacturing destination for specialised, high-value apparel.
At German-invested UBF Bridal Ltd, workers produce bridal gowns, exclusive accessories and satin-and-lace dresses using modern technology and high-quality fabrics. The factory also supplies a leading European fashion brand.
The company started production in April 2022 with an investment of $3.66 million. It now employs 357 Bangladeshi workers and exported $5.27 million worth of products in FY2025-26.
Its product range includes wedding and evening dresses, suits, jackets, boleros, veils, petticoats and jewellery. After being shipped to Germany, the products reach around 37 countries, including markets in Europe, the US, Brazil and South Africa.
Md Rabiul Hoque Siddiqui, chief operating officer of UBF Bridal, said the company had to develop its own skilled workforce because Bangladesh had no experience in manufacturing such specialised garments.
"We started with around 130 workers. We gave them training to handle such complicated styles. As they gained experience, productivity also improved. Initially, the efficiency of local workers was around 30%, but it has now improved to 60%, and we are working to take it to 80%," he said.
The company is also working to increase local sourcing of raw materials by developing embroidery and lace-making capacity. It plans to manufacture footwear in Bangladesh in the future.
Rani Akter, a sewing operator at the factory, said she had been working there for around five years because of the favourable working environment and relatively better wages compared with many factories outside the EPZ.
High-end suits, safety footwear and auto components
The diversity of production at Adamjee EPZ is evident across its factories.
Universal Menswear Ltd, a joint venture between Romanian and Bangladeshi company Ananta Apparel Ltd, initially invested $45.91 million to build the facility, which was relocated from Romania.
The factory now employs 8,194 people, including 34 foreign nationals. The company produces tailored suits, blazers and formal trousers and exported $97.88 million worth of products in FY2025-26.
Ukrainian entrepreneur-invested Super Protective Shoes (Pvt.) Ltd has invested $13.06 million and employs nearly 1,200 people. It exported $12.78 million worth of safety footwear, industrial shoes, military boots and specialised footwear in FY2025-26.
Lavrik Andriti, chairman and managing director of Super Protective Shoes, said the company was introducing advanced machinery into its production lines.
"Some of the machines are sourced from Europe, while others come from Taiwan and China. They allow us to produce specialised footwear using relatively advanced and costly technology," he said.
"We want to invest another $10 million in this factory to increase capacity, aiming to double exports within the next two years. That will create job opportunities for another 1,000 people," he added.
Japanese-invested TS Tech Bangladesh Ltd has initially invested $4.67 million and employs 512 people. It exported $14.75 million worth of products last fiscal year.
The company manufactures trim covers for vehicle seats for Japanese automakers. Most raw materials are sourced from Japan and China, processed in Bangladesh and then shipped to manufacturing plants in Japan.
Satoru Onishi, managing director of TS Tech Bangladesh, said the company was increasingly focusing on productivity and automation.
It has introduced technologies such as 3D printing for internal production-related activities and has gradually expanded its production capacity since starting operations in January 2017.
Established in 1950 by the Adamjee family in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, Adamjee Jute Mills was once one of the world's largest jute mills. The nearly 1,000-acre industrial complex grew into a sizeable township with workers' settlements, markets, schools and other facilities.
After independence, the mill was nationalised and brought under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC).
Years of financial losses, management weaknesses, technological limitations and labour unrest pushed the mill into a prolonged crisis. Operations were finally shut down on June 30, 2002.
The government subsequently decided to redevelop the site for industrial use. On December 30, 2004, it decided to hand over the mill's land to BEPZA.
Adamjee EPZ was formally inaugurated on March 06, 2006, beginning a new industrial chapter on the site of one of Bangladesh's once-largest jute mills.
