Unique Group has been awarded prequalification licence for Sonargaon Economic Zone, the 11th economic zone in the private sector of the country. Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury handed the licence over to Unique Group Managing Director Noor Ali at a function in Dhaka on Wednesday. Ali said the authorities initially cleared 65 acres for the economic zone in Narayanganj, and it will be expanded to 300 acres within a year. He said businesses from several countries like China, Japan and India already expressed eagerness to set up factories in the Sonargaon Economic Zone 'only 25 kiulometres away from Dhaka's Zero Point'. Ali said the new economic zone will create 10,000 jobs. He said Unique Group planned to set up factories for LPG cylinder, mobile-phone set, petrochemical and motorbike in the economic zone. Paban Chowdhury said BEZA developed 2,200 acre land for industrial use within three years into its formulation. "BEZA has a plan to set up 100 economic zones within 15 years. But considering the pace of work, it seems that we will achieve the target within five years," he added.

In its continued efforts to provide the most advanced energy solutions to Bangladesh, GE Power (NYSE: GE) today announced that it has been selected by Unique Group, to develop the 600 megawatt (MW) natural gas based combined cycle power plant at Meghnaghat, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. Unique Meghnaghat Power Limited (UMPL) will be executing the project. The power plant will produce power equivalent to the electricity needed to supply about 700,000 homes in the region. GE Power Leadership with Mr. Noor Ali, Chairman, Unique GroupUnique Group is among the most diversified business entities in Bangladesh, having successful ventures in Hospitality. Real Estate, Manpower Management and Infrastructure sectors. The order value is approximately $350 million and as per the contract, GE will be developing the project on a turnkey basis which includes one 9HA.01 gas turbine, one heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), one steam turbine generator, condenser and associated systems. The power plant is expected to start the commercial operations by 2021. “The Meghnaghat power project marks Unique Group’s foray into the power sector of Bangladesh. We are excited to partner with GE, whose technological expertise and global experience in managing large scale power projects helped our teams to understand the stringent project proposal parameters and configuration selection. The power plant will be built close to the growth centers in Bangladesh, supplying reliable power to the grid and contributing towards the development of infrastructure in Bangladesh.” said, Mohd. Noor Ali, Managing Director, Unique Group. GE’s 9HA.01 gas turbine is the world’s most efficient and largest heavy-duty gas turbine. Globally, GE’s HA gas turbines are pushing the boundaries when it comes to the most efficient conversion of fuel into electricity. These gas turbines are recognized for powering the world’s most efficient power plants in both the 50hz and 60hz energy segments – achieving 62.22% combined cycle net efficiency and 63.08% combined cycle gross efficiency respectively. GE’s HA gas turbines, owing to their innovative modular design, additive manufacturing and combustion technology breakthroughs, are enabling the power plant owners to experience reduced plant capital cost, space requirement and schedule needs during installation. In addition, Bangladesh is also making significant investments to enhance its LNG-based electricity generation and projects like the Meghnaghat power plant mark a significant milestone for GE to position its HA technology for high capacity gas-based power plants in Bangladesh. “GE is a long-standing partner of Bangladesh, contributing towards the growth of its power sector. The country is strategically transforming its energy mix and adopting new technologies to meet the on-ground challenges such as increasing power demand. We are confident that GE’s HA gas turbines will be a significant value add to the power ecosystem in Bangladesh, enabling people to have easy access to affordable, flexible, and cleaner electricity.” said, Deepesh Nanda, CEO, Gas Power Systems, GE South Asia. Today, GE Power’s HA gas turbine technology has achieved more than 185,000 operating hours across 30 units in operation, with orders of the technology from more than 30 customers in 15 countries globally.