Bangladesh opens 4-day summit amid hopes of boosting FDI

Some foreign investors visit the Korean EPZ in Chattogram on the first day of the Invesrment Summit on Monday 7 April 2025

Dhaka, Apr 7 - The Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 kicked off in Dhaka on Monday marking a milestone event aimed at reinforcing the country’s commitment to economic progress, investment-friendly policies, and sustainable growth.

At the opening session of Bangladesh Startup Connect 2025, Tanveer Ali, Chairman of Constellation Asset Management Company Ltd, delivered the keynote address. 

The session featured a high-level plenary moderated by Sadia Haque, Co-Founder and CEO of Sharetrip, with panelists including Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of BIDA; Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, ICT Division; Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur, Governor of Bangladesh Bank; Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder, Secretary of the Finance Division; and Shish Haider Chowdhury, Secretary of the ICT Division and Chairman of Startup Bangladesh Ltd.

The summit seeks to present a “genuine view” of Bangladesh to global investors by showcasing real stories of investment opportunities across various sectors, according to the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).

Delegations from China, the UK, the US, Singapore, South Korea, and India are among the international participants attending the summit, organisers said.

Key global figures participating include Baroness Rosie Winterton, UK Trade Envoy to Bangladesh; Jarno Syrjälä, Under-Secretary of State for International Trade at Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs; Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World; Óscar García Maceiras, CEO of Inditex; Mike Orgill, Senior Director of Public Policy & Government Relations, APAC at Uber; Kyeongsu Lee, Vice President of Samsung C&T; Jon Omund Revhaug, Executive Vice President and Head of Telenor Asia; and Han Jun-seokt, CEO of Giordano Korea.

On the opening day, a delegation of investors visited the Korean Export Processing Zone. They will also visit Mirsarai Economic Zone in Chattogram. 

On April 8, participants will tour the Japanese Economic Zone in Araihazar.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will join the summit as chief guest on April 9.

Additional highlights include a matchmaking session and a roundtable discussion on global best practices in investment.

Key partners for the event include the UNDP, FCDO, Grameenphone, the World Bank, and FICCI—underscoring the collaborative push to drive foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bangladesh.

An agreement is set to be signed with NASA during the summit, and five domestic and international investors will be honored for their contributions.

Over 550 top-level officials from more than 40 countries, including Bangladesh, are participating in the event, converging to explore opportunities, share innovative ideas, and celebrate milestones in the country’s investment landscape. - UNB