A daylong investment summit focusing on Bangladesh will take place in Hong Kong on Tuesday as investors’ interest in the country has been growing as is evident from the recent rising trend in foreign direct investment.

The inflow of foreign direct investment into Bangladesh rose 27.19 percent year-on-year to $1.45 billion in the July-February period, according to central bank data.

The fourth Bangladesh Investment Summit, Asia will examine the trade and investment opportunities for Asia’s sovereign wealth funds, family offices, public and private pension funds and other financial investors in Bangladesh’s markets.

At the same time, the summit will examine merger and acquisition opportunities in Bangladesh and the domestic growth. It will also address some investment issues for companies looking to invest in Asia and for those Bangladeshi companies looking to fundraise abroad.

Standard Chartered Bangladesh and City Bank will sponsor the fourth edition of the summit, which will take place at Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Hong Kong. The Board of Investment, Bangladesh is also supporting the summit.

The daylong summit will be organised by FinanceAsia, a leading financial journal in Asia and the Pacific, in association with AsianInvestor, a magazine focused on asset management, mutual funds, alternatives, private banking and financial services in the Asia Pacific.

Hong Kong is the centre of today’s east-focused global economy, and by taking this year’s summit to this top global business hub, the organisers want to promote the positive business climate of Bangladesh to the world and also justify why Bangladesh is a profitable and safe investment destination.

“There is enormous potential for our economy to progress even further, in various sectors,” said Abrar A Anwar, chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bangladesh.

Standard Chartered Bangladesh will continue to support the sectors that have driven the country’s economic growth for decades and will also identify new areas that can take the economy to newer heights, he added.

With a presence in this country for over 110 years, Standard Chartered is committed to the development of Bangladesh. “We shall continue to be a partner in progress for Bangladesh.”

“This is the fourth time we are showcasing Bangladesh as an exciting investment destination to Asian investors, and the first time we are holding it in Hong Kong,” he said.

Organisers are expecting about 250 attendees, comprising government representatives, multilateral financiers, rating agencies, portfolio managers, global asset managers, institutional investors, private banks, principals from private equity and hedge funds, heads of Bangladesh-based corporate houses and Asia-based brokerages.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith will make a keynote speech on ‘perspective: investment for Bangladesh’s future’, while Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the prime minister’s energy adviser, will deliver a keynote presentation on ‘energy outlook for Bangladesh’. Biru Paksha Paul, chief economist of Bangladesh Bank, will deliver a keynote presentation on 'monetary policy for tomorrow's Bangladesh' and Paban Chowdhury, executive chairman of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority, will speak on investments in the economic zones.

Six other panel discussions will be organised as part of the summit to discuss a wide range of topics that will include -- Bangladesh investment today; power and energy; export potential and ICT developments; investment opportunities in Bangladesh: foreign investors; Bangladesh capital markets; and PPP and their role in Bangladesh.