Bida expects Chinese investment boost from PM's visit

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority
currently has around $400 million in potential investments from Chinese
companies in its investment pipeline, according to Bida.
This figure may increase further following Prime
Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to China from 23 to 26 June, they hope.
Preparations have been taken for a major
investment conference in Beijing during the visit, where Bangladesh will
showcase new investment opportunities to prospective Chinese investors.
Several bilateral meetings between the prime
minister and leading Chinese companies are expected to be held, officials
said.
The investment authority has identified key
sectors attracting the strongest interest from Chinese investors, including
electronics, semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries, advanced and technical
textiles, logistics, medical devices and IT-enabled services.
The agency plans to highlight Bangladesh's
competitive advantages in these sectors, including its workforce, market access
and export potential.
"Chinese investment could become one of
Bangladesh's largest sources of foreign investment in the coming years,"
Nahian Rahman Rochi, executive member and head of business development at Bida,
told TBS.
"Chinese companies currently account for
approximately $400 million in potential investments in the investment pipeline
of the Bida," he said.
"Investment prospects are expanding around
existing initiatives, particularly the Chinese Economic Zone. This will create
mutual benefits for both countries and strengthen Bangladesh's position as a
manufacturing partner," Nahian said.
According to Bida officials, nearly 70 companies
from 20 countries, including China, are currently included in its investment
pipeline. Established in 2025, the pipeline contains potential investment
proposals worth approximately $1.5 billion, they said.
The agency aims to add another $1.5 billion in
investment proposals during 2026, raising the total pipeline value to $3
billion by the end of the year.
Nahian said they expect at least 25% of the
investment proposals in the pipeline to reach implementation.
"To achieve this, we have strengthened
regular follow-ups, direct engagement with investors and coordination through
country-specific officers responsible for facilitating investments," he
said.
He added that Buda is using a data-driven sector
mapping and scoring system to identify industries with the highest investment
potential and determine which sectors are most attractive to Chinese investors.
Proposal for second Chinese economic zone
Work is progressing on the
government-to-government Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone in Anwara,
Chattogram.
Beyond it, China has also proposed establishing
a second specialised economic zone in Mongla.
Speaking at an event in Dhaka on 18 June, Bida
and Beza Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury said ensuring progress on the
Chinese economic zone would be one of the key investment agendas during the
prime minister's visit.
"We expect to see meaningful progress that
could pave the way for the commencement of on-the-ground work at the Chinese
Economic Zone," he said.
Ashik said China has shown interest in setting
up a second economic zone in Mongla and that important decisions on the
proposal could emerge during the visit. Progress may also be made regarding the
establishment of a Bdia representative office in China.
He noted that China has remained one of
Bangladesh's leading sources of foreign investment over the past five years,
prompting the government to advance several investment initiatives around the
visit.
According to the latest data from the Bangladesh
Bank, net foreign direct investment inflows into the country rose 39.36%
year-on-year to $1.77 billion in 2025, up from $1.27 billion in 2024.
China ranked as the second-largest source of net
FDI after the Netherlands during the period.
















