Dhaka: The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) today announced that the country has received foreign investment proposals amounting to US$1 billion over the past nine months. This development challenges recent assertions by “an industry representative” that foreign direct investment (FDI) has stalled and that BIDA is not effectively promoting joint ventures or engaging with investors.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, BIDA clarified that between October 2024 and March 2025, Bangladesh garnered net FDI worth $756 million (approximately Tk9,247 crore), directly refuting claims that no new foreign investments have been secured in the past eight months. During this period, BIDA registered 739 industrial projects, which included 66 wholly foreign-owned and 61 joint venture projects.
In addition to these efforts, the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has signed land lease agreements with 16 companies, of which six are fully foreign-owned, and three are joint ventures. Similarly, the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) has signed agreements with 31 companies.
“In total, the proposed foreign investment during this period stands at nearly $1 billion (Tk12,220 crore),” BIDA stated. The authority expressed concern that “sweeping and misleading statements” about FDI trends could harm the country’s reputation and urged all stakeholders to base public comments on accurate data.
BIDA underscored its commitment to fostering a favorable investment climate through policy and institutional reforms and to building effective connections between local and foreign investors. The agency highlighted its initiatives at the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025, which included organizing sector-specific B2B networking sessions in collaboration with business chambers, banks, and other private sector partners.
Looking ahead, BIDA announced that over 100 B2B meetings have been arranged for an upcoming high-level Chinese business delegation visiting next week. These meetings will focus on sectors such as textiles, food processing, and electronics. “Foreign investment typically takes time to mature – a widely recognized reality in investment promotion,” the statement concluded.