Environment clearance made easy for businesses

Dhaka (Dec 10, 2020): Businesses will now receive environment clearance certificate within 7 to 45 working days, down from previous 150 days.

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority or BIDA on Thursday launched 14 new one stop services (OSS), of which, vital environment clearance is one.

BIDA opened the services at a virtual programme attended by environment, forest and climate change minister as chief guest.

Of the 14 new services, businesses will get 12 services that were earlier given by the department of environment and one each from Joint Stock Companies and Firms and BIDA.

“Ministry is trying to provide services to the investors to improve the business environment and create employment. This will also boost investment,” said Md Shahab Uddin, minister for environment, forest and climate change.

The minister said there is no pending application of investors who want to invest in economic zones and approvals are being given without any hassle.

With the 14 new services BIDA took the OSS tally to 35.

The new services include verification of national identity cards via Election Commission and issuance of both land use clearance certificates from the Chattogram Development Authority and security clearance from Public Security Division for foreign nationals.

BIDA's goal is to integrate as many as 154 services from 35 agencies with its OSS for facilitating investment processes in the country.

Md Jafar Uddin, commerce secretary, said these services will improve Bangladesh’s ease of doing business ranking.

Md Sirazul Islam, executive chairman of BIDA and Ziaul Hassan, secretary of the ministry for environment, forest and climate change, also spoke.

Among others Shams Mahmud, president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mahbubul Alam, president, Chattagram Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Siddiqur Rahman, vice president of the Federqation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Wendy Werner, IFC’s country manager for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, AKM Rafique Ahammed, director general of the department of environment and Md Mokbul Hosain, registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms also spoke on the occasion.