Global investors have described Bangladesh as a land of opportunities, but they have said that the government should ensure policy predictability in order to retain the investors’ confidence.
When businesses commit investments, they do so on the basis of the prevailing rules and if those rules are changed abruptly, uncertainties and risks are created, the global investors who are attending the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 said while visiting the Bangladesh Special Economic Zone at Araihazar in Narayanganj on Tuesday.
The four-day investment summit began in the capital Dhaka on Monday.
The global participants observed that while there had been political changes, Bangladesh had remained largely on a steady path of development.
They also said that one of the key challenges investors often faced in Bangladesh was sudden changes in regulations or policies.
During the visit, Swedish company Nilorn Bangladesh Limited signed a memorandum of understanding with the BSEZ, also known as the Japanese economic zone, to set up a factory.
A total of 36 investors, including 10 from China, eight from the United States, three from Japan, three from Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates, three from Saudi Arabia, one from India and eight non-resident Bangladeshis, visited the zone.
Following the signing of the MoU, Nilorn Bangladesh Limited managing director Mohammad Abdul Quyum told reporters that the company would invest approximately $14 million within six months of the agreement.
He said that Nilorn would manufacture garment accessories in the facility and it would generate employment for about 300 people.
Nilorn is already operating a production facility in Manikganj.
According to the Bangladesh Special Economic Zone Authority, the BSEZ is a joint initiative of the governments of Bangladesh and Japan.
The zone is being developed by Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation and it adheres to Japanese standards of industrial development, ensuring high-quality infrastructure and operational efficiency, it said.
The BSEZ has so far attracted investment proposals worth about $200 million from foreign investors.
Singer-Beko from Turkey has begun production at its $78-million facility in the BSEZ, which was described as a strong demonstration of the company’s long-term commitment to Bangladesh’s growth.
The factory, spanning 1,35,000 square metres, was said to set new benchmarks in manufacturing excellence, while three additional industries were reported to be under construction in the zone.
In addition, over 30 investors are in active negotiations with the authorities to invest in the zone.
Singer Bangladesh Limited managing director HM Fairoz said that the company with a market value of about $225 million currently employed nearly 2,700 people and that they have ambitious growth plans aligned with further investments.
Terming Bangladesh a land of opportunities, he said that with a population of about 180 million and relatively low market penetration for many consumer products, Singer Bangladesh sees significant potential for growth.
In response to a question about challenges in the country, he said that there were various challenges everywhere in the world; however, they were witnessing positive developments in Bangladesh.
BSEZ managing director Taro Kawachi said that their vision aligned closely with the goals of the Bangladesh government, and they were proud of them for contributing to that shared mission.
He said that investors sought consistency and predictability in policies, whether those are related to taxation, regulations or other frameworks.
He mentioned that sudden changes in policies could be disruptive, but with clear communication and steady governance, such issues could be effectively navigated.
China-based company Green & Smart Energy Organisation secretary general Wu Jianbo said that Bangladesh had strong market potential, but the country faced two key challenges in attracting Chinese companies – one was infrastructural weaknesses and another was cultural differences.
‘After visiting the BSEZ, I felt that the infrastructure here is entirely investment-friendly,’ he said.
Chinese-owned IT service provider Genew Bangladesh Limited chief executive officer Nicholas Qi said that while Bangladesh offered significant investment potential, one of the major challenges was the lack of continuity in government policies.
Despite political changes, the country’s economic progress has remained steady and the BSEZ is a prime example of this development, with excellent infrastructure in place, he said.
Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, deputy press secretary to the Bangladesh interim government’s chief adviser, told reporters that investors had expressed satisfaction after visiting several economic zones in the country in the past two days.
He said that the interim government was actively working to remove barriers to investment, including regulatory hurdles and governance issues that had previously discouraged investors.
