Dhaka district contributed about 46 per cent of the total gross domestic product, according to a survey conducted by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The survey, conducted for DCCI鈥檚 upcoming Economic Position Index, was revealed at a focus group discussion at its office in the capital on Saturday.
At the discussion, AKM Asaduzzaman Patwary, acting secretary general of the DCCI, delivered the keynote address.
The keynote stated that the study was conducted in February鈥揗arch 2025 and involved interviews with a total of 654 respondents 鈥� 365 from the manufacturing sector and 289 from the services sector.
According to industry estimates, the average per capita income of Dhaka residents is $5,163, almost double the national average of $2,820.
The survey also stated that the city accounts for 40 per cent of all national employment, houses 32 per cent of the urban population, and 11.2 per cent of the country鈥簊 total population, a density noted as one of the highest in Asia.
Moreover, the capital is responsible for 40 per cent of the country鈥簊 total exports.
Regarding the importance of the EPI, he stated that, due to frequently changing geoeconomics and local context, government policies and decisions聽often do not perform.
Indices such as B-READY, Ease of Doing Business Index, BBX, and BCI cannot capture frequent economic shifts.
Moreover, indices like QIIP, HDI, HPI, and MDPI provide a limited view of broader economic dynamics, human development, and changes in the poverty rate based on a few criteria.
Existing tools provided by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, such as GDP, CPI, and WRI, lack real-time information and granularity for quarterly shifts and regional disparities.
鈥楪DP report gives only value change with a delayed time gap,鈥� the keynote added.
In this regard, the DCCI would develop聽an EPI to effectively measure and track quarterly changes in business activity, sectoral performance, and the overall economic position within the Dhaka district.
Though the EPI would initially focus on Dhaka city, it would gradually expand nationwide.
In his welcome speech, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed said that although there are several local and international indices measuring the business environment in the country, these indices do not clearly reflect the real picture of how and why economic activities are changing.
He also said that this quarterly index would provide clear insights, especially regarding production, sales, order flow, export trends, employment, business confidence, and investment tendencies in the industrial sector.
鈥楾he initial index would include data from ready-made garments, textiles, wholesale and retail trade, real estate, transportation and storage, and banking sectors,鈥� he added.
During the discussion, speakers, including academicians, experts, and government officials, participated in the panel and provided recommendations to address the limitations of the EPI.聽
They urged the Dhaka Chamber to include the agricultural sector in the future editions of the EPI survey.
They also stressed the challenges posed by a rapidly changing economy and the need for timely, data-rich policy formulation for sustainable development across the country.
Former DCCI president Abul Kasem Khan said that, though SMEs are a major source of employment and a key driver of the economy, their development has not been satisfactory.
Regarding the EPI, he said that it should include comparative assessments with competitors.
鈥楤angladesh is lagging behind in almost all economic indicators, as the government has not properly evaluated the proposed economic reforms and there has been noticeable delay from the relevant authorities in implementing them,鈥� he added.
Economic reforms should be prioritised for implementation, he added, suggesting digitising trade licenses and other documents.
Md Nurul Alam, director general of the National Productivity Organisation, stressed the need for more careful data collection in research activities to support better policy formulation.
Former DCCI president Ashraf Ahmed emphasised that there should be more focus on statistical analysis of collected data, and a survey could serve as a foundation for future research initiatives.
Syed Muntasir Mamun, director general, International Trade, Investment & Technology Wing, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that foreign investors鈥� confidence in the country鈥檚 overall economy, industrial sector, and public and private institutions is vital for expanding trade and attracting further investment.聽
He suggested including聽the agricultural sector in the study to provide a more comprehensive view.
Saif Uddin Ahammad, joint secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and CEO of the Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute, stressed the need for coordination between the Dhaka Chamber鈥檚 collected data and other institutional datasets.
He also suggested incorporating more sector-specific and diversified data, including light engineering and service sectors.
Nawshad Mustafa, director, SME and SMESPD of Bangladesh Bank, said that policies for SMEs have already been simplified, but if specific data on challenges in loan access could be shared, it would help the central bank to take targeted measures.
Md Salim Al Mamun, director (research) of the Bangladesh Bank, emphasised the inclusion of agricultural data in future district-based research.
Md Aynul Islam, Professor of the Department of Economics at Jagannath University, recommended evaluating whether the study could adopt established international research methods and suggested publishing a summary of the findings in reputable journals.聽
Md Deen Islam, research director of RAPID, suggested revising the research methodology to better understand the overall macroeconomic situation.
Miah Rahmat Ali, a senior private sector specialist at the International Finance Corporation, said the government is working to introduce a new Insolvency Act to facilitate business processes.
He also said the research data indicates notable changes in business activities among local entrepreneurs, and identifying the reasons behind such changes would help formulate more effective policies.
Academicians, government officials, and DCCI members also spoke at the event.
