Chinese apparel manufacturer Kaixi Group will invest an additional $40.05 million to expand production of intimate garments and accessories at the BEPZA Economic Zone (BEPZA EZ) in Mirsarai, Chattogram, creating 3,003 new jobs.
Under the new project, Kaixi will produce 18 million pairs of lingerie and undergarments and 20 million pairs of bra foam and bra cups annually, according to a press release.
BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman said the expansion, coming just 14 months after the company began operations, “shows the growing confidence of foreign investors in BEPZA, especially in BEPZA Economic Zone.”
Kaixi Chairman Xiao Hongxi acknowledged some operational hurdles, including the absence of nearby worker housing which forces them to bring staff from distant areas, causing delays in morning attendance. “Despite these challenges, we remain committed to Bangladesh and to BEPZA EZ,” he said.
Kaixi’s first BEPZA EZ project, sanctioned in November 2022 with a $60.85 million investment, began commercial production in June 2024 and employs about 3,700 workers. Along with its Dhaka EPZ factory, the group now provides jobs for roughly 6,000 people in Bangladesh.
The agreement for the new investment was signed on 11 August between BEPZA and Kaixi Garments Bangladesh Ltd., a concern of Kaixi Group, at the BEPZA Complex in Dhaka. BEPZA Member (Investment Promotion) Md Ashraful Kabir and Kaixi Chairman Xiao Hongxi signed the deal in the presence of senior BEPZA officials.
So far, 45 companies have pledged more than $1 billion in total investment in BEPZA EZ, the largest venture of the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority, with four firms already in commercial operation.