Apon Bazaar on Sunday inaugurated its 54th retail outlet at the Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), marking the company’s first expansion into Bangladesh’s export processing zones.
The outlet, which Apon described as a dedicated retail and financial services platform for blue-collar workers within an industrial enclave, was formally inaugurated by the executive director of KEPZ in the presence of senior officials of KEPZ and Apon, along with representatives from factories operating in the zone.
Apon said the new shop will serve around 80,000 workers in KEPZ. For the company, the opening marks the latest step in an expansion that began in 2017 with a small number of worker-focused retail outlets and has since grown into a nationwide network serving industrial workers.
The initiative also reflects a broader effort by the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) to strengthen worker wellbeing and promote financial inclusion inside industrial zones, according to the organisers.
The outlet offers a package of discounted essential goods and financial services tailored to industrial workers. These include savings of up to 10% on daily groceries, zero-interest grocery credit, payday loans and short-term loans with simplified terms, instalment facilities for household essentials, and free healthcare services.
In addition, Apon’s customer loyalty campaign will provide free health insurance coverage to workers, aimed at reducing the financial impact of unexpected medical expenses.
Yasir Arafat, co-founder and director of Apon, said the company was founded to bridge the gap between industrial workers and more privileged segments of society by ensuring access to essential services, from affordable retail to health insurance, credit and other financial services.
“We are proud to bring these facilities to the workers of KEPZ for the first time and aim to expand these community shops across other industrial zones,” he said.
Speakers at the ceremony said embedding social protection mechanisms within industrial zones can strengthen workforce stability, improve productivity and contribute to long-term economic sustainability.
Apon said the launch at Karnaphuli EPZ is part of a broader effort to expand worker-centred services across Bangladesh’s industrial zones by bringing essential goods, credit access and healthcare protection closer to factory communities.
){kind=link}