<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday proposed establishment of a D-8 Economic Zone in Bangladesh for investment by the member countries aimed at accelerating their collective economic growth. </span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The offer came in five-point proposals she made in her speech at the of the 20th D-8 Council of Ministers meeting at Dhaka’s Hotel InterContinental, joining it through video conferencing from her official residence Ganobhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said Bangladesh is ready to provide space at its Special Economic Zones for investment of the member states.</div><div><br></div><div>“If it begins the process now, within the next decade, it will have a robust D-8 Economic Zone,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>D-8, also known as Developing-8, is an organization for development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkiye.</div><div><br></div><div>Established in 1997, the objectives of the forum are to improve member states’ position in the global economy, diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at international level and improve standards of living.</div><div><br></div><div>PM Hasina said time has come for the 25-year-old forum to expand its focus also on implementation of Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), increased trade, ICT, diversification of agriculture for attaining food security and finding sources of alternative energy.</div><div><br></div><div>She said implementation of the PTA is an important element for a successful D-8, which has large domestic markets.</div><div><br></div><div>Intra-D-8 trade will help accelerate its business prospects, she said, adding that the forum should aim at doubling the intra-D-8 trade from US$129 billion in the next decade.</div><div><br></div><div>On the immense prospects in ICT Hasina told the conference that the youths of the D-8 countries can be turned into a formidable workforce.</div><div><br></div><div>She said about 70% of Bangladesh’s population is under 40 years and it has 650,000 registered IT freelancers. This huge manpower can be used to create IT-based industry and involve the youth in various economic activities.</div><div><br></div><div>In her fourth proposal she said the D-8 should concentrate on diversified agriculture production to ensure food security and steady food supply.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh, she said, is ready to share her best practices and experience with other D-8 member states. The D-8 should focus on agriculture production to become self-sufficient in food production within the next decade.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM also suggested that the D-8 member states be careful about energy usage and the necessity of alternate energy sources.</div><div><br></div><div>She proposed that the D-8 focuses on developing capacity by involving other countries who have expertise in alternate energy. </div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>