Exports by the factories located in the country's export processing zones rose 9.16 percent year-on-year to $6.67 billion last fiscal year.

The export target was set at $6 billion for 2015-16, although the exports figure reached $6.11 billion in the previous year, Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority said in a statement yesterday.

In 2015-16, the enterprises based in Chittagong EPZ accounted for the biggest share of exports -- $2.42 billion -- followed by Dhaka at $2.18 billion.

There are eight EPZs under Bepza where more than 430 factories are located. These factories account for about 20 percent of the total national exports.

The factories have invested $3.75 billion as of 2015, employing more than 439,512 people, according to the Bepza website.

Some 58 percent of these enterprises are wholly foreign-owned, 14 percent are joint ventures and 28 percent locally-owned.