Foreign direct investment (FDI) from China in Bangladesh has risen to $2.67 billion as of September 2024, according to official data, cementing China’s position as the country’s second-largest investor.

Bangladesh’s investment-to-GDP ratio declined by 0.25 percentage points to 30.70 percent in the fiscal year (FY) 2023-24, according to official data, signalling a potential slowdown in future economic growth.

The inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Bangladesh is facing critical challenges as a plethora of factors have caused it to stagnate to a mere 0.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in recent years.

The flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bangladesh fell to $104.33 million in the July-September quarter of fiscal year 2024-25, the lowest in at least six years, as foreign investors stayed away from Bangladesh amid deadly political unrest, labour agitation, and a persistent economic crisis.

Yunus asked the executives to maintain transparency in businesses

Says Ashik Chowdhury, head of government’s key investment promotion agencies BIDA, BEZA

A lack of safety in foreign manufacturing and industrial units in Bangladesh, stemming from the debilitating law and order situation and labour unrest, has become a cause of major concern for foreign investors, denting their confidence.

Govt has a lot to do to recover business and investor confidence

In 2023, existing companies reinvested earnings of $2.20 billion out of total net FDI inflow of $3 billion. This means that 73.5 percent of FDI came from existing investors.

Foreign direct investments to Bangladesh snapped its rising trend in 2023, highlighting the nervousness outside investors face in pumping money into a country whose foreign exchange regime is experiencing one of its worst periods in recent times

Government should focus on making entrepreneurship easy and hassle-free

Political will needed to address major trade, investment barriers

Fostering a conducive environment for expatriate contributions is vital

Increased private, foreign investments key to our economic recovery

Bangladesh needs to ramp up its efforts in elevating competitiveness in attracting foreign direct investment and private investment, experts said yesterday.

The country aims to become a developed economy by 2041 and, in that pursuit, elevating living standards and strengthening private and foreign direct investment (FDI) and tax revenue collection will be critical, said the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Ficci) in a publication unveiled yesterday.

US companies want to invest in five sectors of Bangladesh, namely IT, education, healthcare, energy and infrastructure, said John Fay, commercial counsellor at the US embassy, yesterday. 

Government must build an effective mechanism to support its policy

To create an FDI-friendly environment in Bangladesh, we must first improve governance

Farewell message by HE Li Jiming, Ambassador of China to Bangladesh