Political leaders on Tuesday identified political and policy stability, good governance, and transparency of regulatory measures as the key priorities for improving the investment climate in the country.
At a meeting with Bangladesh Investment Development Authority chair Ashik Bin Mahmud Harun at the BIDA conference room in the capital, they urged the government to prioritise national interest while allowing foreign investment.
Politicians identified other critical factors also, including modernising infrastructure, especially ports and logistics, ensuring fair and nationally-aligned investment policies, expanding access to finance for small entrepreneurs, lowering borrowing costs, investing in skill development, and upholding environmental standards.
They suggested that the government should ensure investment security, as both local and foreign investors are now hesitant to make fresh investments amid the ongoing political uncertainties.
The BIDA chair assured that national interest will be the guiding principle behind all investment-related decisions, assuring that it would never be compromised in any circumstances.
Regarding the Chittagong Port, Ashik said the goal is to transform the port into a world-class, competitive logistics hub to support both local and foreign investors.
Communist Party of Bangladesh presidium member and economist M M Akash said that there must be clarity in both policies and intention to improve the country鈥檚 investment climate.
He said it is important to select investors without discrimination, whether they are local or foreign, and to ensure that policies are based on national interest rather than on the origin of the investor.
He stressed that foreign investment should support, not replace, the growth of domestic industries.
He pointed out that one major issue often ignored was unproductive past investments or sunk costs, which have affected investor confidence.
He went on to observe that unless these legacy issues are resolved, a strong investment climate cannot be built.
Akash said that political stability is a key factor as investors need a predictable and stable environment.
Frequent policy changes or instability discourage serious investment, he further observed.
Akash said it is important to clearly define sectoral priorities and questioned whether current policies are favouring capital-intensive projects over labour-intensive or SME-focused industries.
He also emphasised that access to credit for SMEs should be treated as a central issue, not as a secondary one.
Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki said that developing an investment-friendly environment is more important than merely securing investments worth billions of dollars.
He stressed that the focus should not be solely on attracting foreign investment, but also on laying a foundation for sustainable and long-term capital flows.
Saki identified various harassment, poor infrastructure, and lack of energy security as major deterrents to fresh investment.
He was critical of the unequal access to finance for entrepreneurs, stating that large defaulters receive huge loans while small and medium enterprises struggle to secure funding.
Citing the government move to hand over operations of the Chattogram Port鈥檚 container terminal to a foreign contractor, he said foreign investment may be considered if necessary, but the government must ensure that the control of the port remains in Bangladesh鈥檚 hands.
He called for a proper implementation of the One-Stop Service, improvement in LNG supply and port capacity, and urgent institutional reforms to support sustainable and long-term investment flows.聽
National Citizen Party chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari said that local investors are hesitant to invest as they are uncertain about how long the interim government would remain in office, while global investors are also reluctant to invest due to ongoing global uncertainties.
He proposed that all political parties should reach a consensus to keep regulatory policies unchanged for a certain period, regardless of which party comes to power in the next elections, in order to ensure investor confidence.
鈥業f we can engage the growing middle class in economic activities, political unrest in the country will decline,鈥� Nasiruddin observed.
He stressed the importance of prioritising youth and technical education across the country to develop a skilled workforce.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general and AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad stressed the importance of environmental protection and project assessment, criticising the flawed selection of sites like the Payra River for seaport development.
He also cited high interest rates, corruption, and the lack of tax fairness as major barriers to new investment in the country.
Azad urged the government to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.
Representatives from the Liberal Democratic Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Amar Bangladesh Party, Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Islami Front, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, and Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan attended the meeting.
The political leaders also called for giving the highest priority to safeguarding the country鈥檚 sovereignty, national interest, and regional security.
BIDA chief Ashik Mahmud affirmed that national interest will be the guiding principle behind all investment-related decisions, whether involving domestic or foreign partners.
He affirmed that national security is also a top priority, assuring that it would never be compromised in any circumstances.
Regarding the Chittagong Port, Ashik said the goal is to transform the port into a world-class, competitive logistics hub to support both local and foreign investors.
Improving the port operations is not about favouring foreign service providers over local ones but about ensuring timely, cost-effective delivery, he said.
BIDA鈥檚 head of business development, Nahian Rahman Rochi, presented an update on the authority鈥檚 activities, including its reform plan and progress report.
He highlighted five key issues that have been identified from discussions with over 200 local investors and stakeholders: the quality of government services, policy continuity, industry consultations, corruption elimination, and access to resources.
