Investment Summit Yields Tk 3,100cr in Proposals: BIDA Chief

Bangladesh has secured initial investment proposals worth Tk 3,100 crore following the recently concluded investment summit, with more deals expected in the coming weeks, according to Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, Ashik Mahmud detailed the outcomes of the four-day event, emphasizing that the summit successfully drew strong interest from both local and international investors.

The government spent around Tk 1.45 crore to organize the summit, while partner organizations contributed an additional Tk 3.5 crore, bringing total expenses to approximately Tk 5 crore, he said.

Highlighting another key development, the BIDA chief announced that plans for ten proposed economic zones had been scrapped following a thorough review.

However, Ashik Mahmud clarified that while the summit helped accelerate discussions, not all investment deals should be directly attributed to the event. "Many of these investments were already in progress before the summit. It is unrealistic to expect immediate declarations of investment at such forums," he noted. "The success of the summit should not be judged solely by announcements made during the event or through a simplistic cost-to-return analysis."

He further revealed that six memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed during the summit, reflecting growing investor confidence. A notable highlight was the strong presence of international delegates — 415 representatives from 50 countries attended, making up 58 percent of total participants.

"Foreign investors were visibly impressed by Bangladesh’s resilience and potential," Ashik Mahmud added. "Our primary goal was to showcase Bangladesh as an emerging investment destination to the world."

Addressing concerns over recent U.S. tariff measures, he reassured that Bangladesh is not alone in facing such global trade challenges, as many of its competitors are also affected.

Ashik Mahmud expressed optimism about the future, noting that several promising investment proposals are still under negotiation and expected to materialize soon.