Could ‘Investment Summit-2025' Entice Enough FDIs?

The events like investment summits are crucial not only for exhibiting a country's trade potential and development projects but also for communicating the nation's desire to invite foreign direct investments (FDI).  It makes us really optimistic that our government has arranged a four-day 'Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025' from April 7–10 to boost Bangladesh's economic vitality. More than 2,300 participants from 50 nations including more than 550 international investors and hundreds of international business executives have been attending the summit.

The Korean EPZ and the National Special Economic Zone in Chattogram and the Japanese Economic Zone in Narayanganj are three important industrial zones that over 60 international investors are scheduled to visit as part of the summit's activities. There may be some historic investment announcements from international investors. World's top investors as China, the US, the UK, India, Singapore, and Japan are the main participating nations. This kind of conference really draws the attention of international investigators.

This summit can play an important role at this moment by helping Bangladesh manage the external economic shocks to some degree, since the globe, including Bangladesh, is now reeling from shock of President Trump's reciprocal tariffs. At the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025, Bangladesh has already showcased a lower tariff structure to draw in foreign investment in reaction to the US levying a 37% tariff on Bangladeshi exports, which seems to be a wise move.

Apart from presenting the nation's developing investment prospects in textiles, information technology, pharmaceuticals, leather goods, renewable energy, digital economy, agriculture, healthcare and economic reforms, the summit also depicts Bangladesh's investment potential, emphasises the significance of on-going improvements to the country's skilled and inexpensive labour force, and establishes long-term investment pipelines for sustainable economic growth.  Particularly, in the areas of new energy, green energy, eco-tourism, agriculture and IT, Bangladesh offers a vibrant investment environment.  Authorities in Bangladesh are in a position to provide the best possible protection and security of investments, returns and repatriation in addition to effective and efficient facilitation for the full business cycle.

Bangladesh provides plenty of room and opportunity for foreign investment, allowing them to take full benefit of their advantages, by hosting investment promotion events and meeting with executives of foreign-funded businesses.  The private sector investment, including the inbound FDI, has been given top attention at the summit in accordance with Bangladesh's long-term investment plan of $5.5 billion in five special economic zones and investment policies and programmes.

This business initiative is in line with Bangladesh's stepped-up efforts to guarantee the country's on-going political stability, foster a top-notch economic climate and open up to international investment.  Bangladesh is generating significant opportunities for international businesses through the use of high-level exchanges of Chief Advisor Mohammed Yunus with the international business community, the adoption of a comprehensive economic investment plan to draw in foreign investment, the promotion of Bangladesh's dynamic economic diplomacy to the world, and the facilitation of frequent interactions between officials and representatives of foreign companies.

The trade and investment ties between Bangladesh and the firms and investors in these nations have been revived by Yunus' continuous foreign visits, and additional high-quality inbound investment and foreign direct investment may be brought to Bangladesh to support the economic goals of South Asia's second-largest economy.  Given Bangladesh's on-going battles with the decline in foreign investment, the FDI commitments made at this crucial juncture may be crucial to resolving the nation's investment and economic problems.  It is hoped that this strong diplomatic efforts would be in place as well to draw the much needed investment in Bangladesh and set the country's economy to a path of recovery.

In an effort to draw in foreign direct investment, the interim administration is showcasing Bangladesh's commercial opportunities and benefits to the international investor community. The summit serves as a high-level forum for contacts between business groups from various nations with the goals of addressing shared economic concerns collectively, fostering new avenues for international economic cooperation, and reinvigorating and also reintegrating Bangladesh with global investment governance and foreign trade supply chain stability. Bangladesh has achieved remarkable progress in recent years in becoming one of South Asia's expanding economic centres.  Bangladesh boasts a youthful workforce, excellent infrastructure, and a strategic location.

Critical industries including manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure have historically attracted a large amount of foreign investment, especially in industrial zones and special economic regions.  Because they provide jobs and offer necessary services, these industries are crucial to Bangladesh's development objectives.  With the promise of simplified operations ranging from document simplification to quality port services, some tax breaks, and easy access to resources, the industrial zones are intended to foster an atmosphere that is favourable for large-scale production.  Bangladesh's competitive advantages such as demographic dividend, low-cost labour and its comparative advantage in the green clothing industry put it in a strong position to make a substantial contribution to the global economy. Due to its large 177 million-strong customer base, advantageous location, and abundant human capital, Bangladesh offers tremendous opportunity for foreign investment.

It is essential to attract foreign investments in order to achieve more economic growth and create more employment in order to sustain the spirit of the July Revolution.  Youth-led business ventures Bangladesh is expanding quickly, but on a modest scale.  Innovation and new business prospects have been seized by young entrepreneurs.  In order to guarantee funding for young people's entrepreneurial ideas, four funds have been announced at the summit. As part of the private sector's effort to boost economic growth, Incepta, a pharmaceutical company, has declared its intention to establish a US$1 million fund to assist new companies.

Bangladesh must strategise its long-term economic diplomacy with global trade actors. Identifying the most effective and focused strategy to draw in the international business community ought to be Bangladesh's national goal. Obstacles such as the nation's regulatory barriers, lack of financial access, and bureaucratic red tape should be removed.

If Bangladesh can improve the investment climate, expedite the visa issuance and renewal processes, expedite customs clearance procedures, improve services provided by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), and reduce logistics costs, it may further benefit from the shifting investment from China, EU, ASEAN and India, given the on-going global trade war and geopolitical rivalry. Moreover, Investment summit 2025 should make Bangladesh an ideal destination of FDI and Bangladesh must take this business opportunity to a new height. -Source: daily sun