Chinese company KMK Industrial Limited will establish Bangladesh’s first manufacturing facility for aircraft amenity bags and kits at the BEPZA Economic Zone.

The project, with an investment of $18.6m, is expected to generate 1,231 local jobs, according to a press release issued on Tuesday.

An agreement was signed on 14 September between BEPZA’s investment promotion member Md. Ashraful Kabir and KMK Industrial’s chairman Wu Yuxiang. BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman attended the signing, alongside senior officials of the authority.

Initially, the factory will produce amenity bags for airlines, with plans to expand into socks, garments, accessories, cosmetics, and selected electronic items such as headphones and USB cables.

At the ceremony, Major General Ziaur Rahman welcomed the investment, describing it as a step towards diversifying Bangladesh’s export-oriented industries. He also encouraged foreign investors to strengthen local supply chains by sourcing raw materials domestically.

The new facility is the first of its kind in the country’s export processing zones and is seen as a move to attract more investment in high-value manufacturing sectors.