Bangladesh receives $2.7b pledge at international investment summit
Bangladesh receives $2.7 billion investment commitments from potential foreign businesses as a two-day international investment conference concluded in Dhaka on Monday, reports UNB.
Talking to the UNB at the summit venue Md Sirajul Islam, executive chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) said the pledged investment may even increase to $ 5 billion as some global partners are expected to declare their commitments later.
Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone have signed an investment deal of $150 million on the closing day of the summit.
The conference focused on the opportunity of investment in the country as its domestic markets have been expanding with enhancing buying capacity of consumers.
Speaking in different sessions on November 28 and 29, the private and public sector experts, investors, business organizations’ leaders emphasized Bangladesh’ domestic markets’ consumption demand along with the country’s ability in the productions as well as manufacturing sector.
They said per capita income of Bangladesh crossed (USD) $2500, which means purchase capacity of the people have increased significantly.
Bangladesh not only exporting goods in the global markets, but also importing a big volume of household appliance and consumers items, they said.
Banks and financial institutions have been fully digitalized, electronic transaction system also modernized, mobile financial sector brought a revolution in online purchasing and e-commerce selling, the summit documents claimed.
Readymade garments sector leaders said Bangladesh’ contribution in the garments manufacturing has been increasing gradually and new investment is required for development.
Leather and leather goods entrepreneurs have showcased investment potentials in the sectors.
Finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal was the chief gest in the closing ceremony while Salman F Rahman, prime minister’s adviser on industry and investment was the special guest and Saleh Nasser Al- Jasser, minister of transport and logistics was present as guest.
Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Md Atiqul Islam, state minister Nasrul Hamid , Hector Gomez Ang, regional director of International Finance Corporation (IFC) , Rupali Huque Chowdhury, president of Foreign Investors’ Chamber Of Commerce And Industry (FICCI), among others, were spoke in the closing functions.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated the summit on Sunday as the chief guest. Ministers, local and foreign delegates and experts joined physically.
The slogan for the summit was "Bangladesh Discover Limitless Opportunities".
The summit was organised the occasion of Mujib Year, the birth centennial of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
BIDA organized the summit in association with Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza), Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza), Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA), Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA), Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and Foreign Investors' Chamber Of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
Representatives of government and investors from 54 countries, including the USA, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirate, India, Turkey, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Netherlands took part in the conference.