The recently concluded Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 has yielded investment declaration worth Tk 3,100 crore, says Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).

He shared the information at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital yesterday.

"Personally, I believe the summit hasn't achieved a perfect 10. There's still plenty of room for improvement. However, this was our first attempt to organise an investment summit of a global standard..."

Around Tk 5 crore was spent on organising the summit, of which around Tk 1.5 crore came from the government and the rest from partner organisations.

If the costs and returns are compared, the outcome is fantastic, Ashik said.

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Let’s sustain the momentum of the summit

He said that those experienced in such events understand that significant investments don't happen overnight; investors must first visit and experience the country. The summit played a key role in changing global perceptions of Bangladesh. Many foreign participants remarked that what they saw online was different from reality.

Concerning the process for converting potential investments into actual investments, he said that a diligent registration process was followed, collecting contact information to maintain engagement with interested parties. Follow-ups are planned to ascertain their decision-making progress and the potential for further visits, aligning with standard business development practices.

During the BIDA's executive committee meeting, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the chief adviser directed to form a committee to expedite the launch of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Additionally, a directive was issued to explore bringing various investment promotion agencies, about eight, under a single umbrella for better coordination. The chief adviser also suggested developing an exclusive economic zone for Nepal.

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A turning point for investment—if we can seize it

Shafiq said that there is also strong interest of foreign investors in the Chittagong Port.

The BIDA executive chairman said a decision has been made to cancel the plan of developing 10 economic zones. "We don't think these are necessary."

Acknowledging the current higher costs of flying goods from Dhaka compared to transshipping via Kolkata or Delhi, he said that the government is considering India's revocation of transshipment facility for Bangladesh as an opportunity to enhance the efficiency of Bangladesh's airports.