Dhaka: The government has unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at improving the business climate and diversifying exports. The budget document outlines a series of measures designed to enhance the cost and ease of doing business, attract foreign investment, and promote balanced industrial development nationwide.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the government intends to prioritize deregulation by streamlining investment-related services, fully digitizing them, and integrating them with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority's One-Stop Service (BIDA-OSS) platform. Coordination among investment promotion agencies will be strengthened through an interactive website, and investment-related services will be mapped sector by sector.
Plans are underway to further develop BanglaBiz into a single digital platform for business approval services, offering investors faster, predictable, coordinated, and transparent government services. The government also aims to promote 19 promising sectors identified in an investment heat map to attract foreign direct investment.
The government has set an ambitious export target of $63.4 billion for the 2026-27 fiscal year, aiming for 15 percent growth in both goods and services exports, as recently announced by Commerce Minister Khondakar Abdul Muktadir. Indications of increased investment interest are evident, with the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) securing investment proposals worth $717.71 million from 36 companies in FY2025-26, marking the highest annual commitment in its history.
The proposed projects are expected to create 75,744 jobs upon full operation. BEPZA-run zones generated $8.41 billion in exports in FY26, accounting for 17.51 percent of the country's total merchandise exports. New export processing zones are planned for Patuakhali and Jashore, with projected employment for nearly one lakh people and around 1.5 lakh jobs, respectively. Establishment plans for Rangpur EPZ in Gaibandha and Sirajganj EPZ in Sirajganj are also underway.
Under the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), digital services expansion is planned, with 60 out of 125 services already online. Standard Operating Procedures have been prepared for 88 services. In July, the Cabinet approved in principle three major policy measures: the draft Invest Bangladesh Act, 2026, the National Renewable Energy Development Strategy (2026-2030), and the Import Policy Order, 2026-2029, aimed at improving the investment climate, expanding renewable energy, and updating the country's import framework.
The government aims to promote environmentally sustainable industrialization through Green and Resilient Economic Zone guidelines, renewable energy facilities, solar power systems, and Central Effluent Treatment Plants. Economic zones are planned in Kurigram, Nilphamari, Chandpur, and Kushtia to reduce Dhaka-Chattogram-centric industrialization and support balanced regional development.
Ahead of Bangladesh's graduation from the Least Developed Country category, the government plans to pursue Free Trade Agreements, Preferential Trade Agreements, and Economic Partnership Agreements with potential trading partners to maintain the country's competitiveness in global trade. Efforts to reduce dependence on ready-made garments, which currently account for nearly 82 percent of export earnings, include promoting handicrafts, home d©cor items, jute products, natural cosmetics, toys, and baby products in international markets.
Facilities for promising export-oriented sectors, including agricultural products, light engineering, pharmaceuticals, electronics, gold, and diamonds, will be extended to import goods under customs bonded facilities or against bank guarantees on a duty-free basis. The government plans to diversify export markets by prioritizing Latin America, Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, and various European countries.
Plans to modernize laws and policies for safer and environmentally sustainable shipbreaking, shipbuilding, and ship recycling are also in place. Policy support will be provided for energy-efficient and environmentally friendly electric bikes and scooters.
For cottage, micro, small, and medium enterprises (CMSMEs), the government plans to develop service platforms, update SME cluster mapping, expand financial inclusion, and launch programs to create new entrepreneurs. Support will include mentorship, technical and skills training, financing, export support, design and branding assistance, and access to domestic and international marketplaces.
The government aims to accelerate industrialization in unused BSCIC plots, develop existing industrial areas, expand industrial park capacity, and introduce investment-friendly policies. Incentives under the National Green Industrial Policy will promote energy-efficient technologies, waste-to-resource production, and low-carbon industrialization.
The government will implement Bangladesh Bank's Tk 60,000 crore Stimulus Package-2026 for agriculture, cottage and small industries, SMEs, and sick and closed industrial enterprises. Of the package, Tk 41,000 crore will come through a refinancing fund, and Tk 19,000 crore from Bangladesh Bank's own resources.
The package includes Tk 20,000 crore for reopening closed industries and supporting the service sector, Tk 10,000 crore for agriculture and rural economic activities, Tk 5,000 crore for CMSMEs, Tk 3,000 crore for export diversification, and Tk 3,000 crore to develop North Bengal as an agricultural hub. The government expects these initiatives to create more than 2.5 million direct and indirect jobs.
Additionally, the government plans to provide a 6 percent interest subsidy to support the expansion of production activities, reducing the effective borrowing cost for entrepreneurs to less than half the prevailing market-based interest rate.