Dhaka: Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun today stated that the 'Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025' has created significant potential to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) alongside local investment. "Time will tell whether the Investment Summit has been successful. The summit has yielded initial investment proposals worth Tk 3,100 crore. Several additional investment proposals are currently in the pipeline," he said.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the executive chairman shared this information at a press conference held today at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital's Bailey Road area. The BIDA chief emphasized the success of the Investment Summit, highlighting that 415 foreign delegates from 50 countries attended the event. He further mentioned that BEZA will maintain follow-up communications with the attendees to ensure progress along the investment pipeline. He expressed hope that similar investment events would be organized by future governments as well.
Ashik Chowdhury also noted that the government has canceled the licenses of 10 economic zones. "I have already said earlier that there is no need for 100 economic zones. Today, the licenses of 10 economic zones have been canceled. We think that these are not needed," he added. The list of canceled economic zones includes five government economic zones and five private economic zones.
The canceled government economic zones are: Sonadia Eco Tourism Park, Cox's Bazar, Sundarban Tourism, Bagerhat, Gajaria Economic Zone, Munshiganj, Shreepur Economic Zone, Gazipur, and Mymensingh Economic Zone, Mymensingh. The canceled private economic zones are: 'Garments Industries Park' proposed by BGMEA, Munshiganj, Chatak Economic Zone, Sunamganj, Famkam Economic Zone, Bagerhat, City Special Economic Zone, Dhaka, and Sonargaon Economic Zone, Narayanganj.
During the previous government, BEZA had approved the establishment of 97 economic zones nationwide. Of the total, 68 are in the government sector and 29 in the private sector. Head of Business Development at BIDA, Nahiyan Rahman Rochi, shared additional statistics of the summit.