Int’l investment summit begins in Dhaka today

The country is going to witness a big get-together of investors in the two-day international investment summit beginning today (Sunday) in Dhaka to draw Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Business delegations from around 54 countries are expected to join the summit at the Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden in the capital. Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) is organising the event tilted “Bangladesh International investment summit (BIIS) 2021” for the first time in the country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the event virtually.

BIDA Executive Chairman Md Sirazul Islam came up with the details about the event at a news conference on Saturday.

Around 2,575 registered participants from home and about 500 from more than 54 countries are likely to join the top business conference in person and virtually.

Representatives of the government and investors from the USA, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirate, India, Turkey, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Netherlands will participate in the event.

BIDA has also invited the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Development Bank, and Japan International Cooperation Agency, local policymakers, investors and economists to grace the occasion.

Following the inauguration on November 28, the top meeting will hold business networking and plenary sessions focusing on investment competitiveness and business environment.

The second half of first-day’s conference will address innovative investment relating to fourth industrial revolution, business networking and healthy living for all.

The second day summit on November 29 will focus on transport and logistics and business networking including sessions on capital market, power and energy, financial services, legal infrastructure, agri-business, RMG, leather and leather goods, etc.

The prime minister’s Private Industry and Investment Affairs Adviser Salman F Rahman said: “We did not set target to sign deals with specific investors. The event is aimed at presenting the development and progress already made in the areas of doing business especially in infrastructure and ease of doing business.”

“We would like to change the narrative about Bangladesh and present a new Bangladesh through branding our economy and socio-economic development.”

Salman F Rahman termed investment a continuous process, saying that the country is receiving new investment proposals from different countries including Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, France, Norway, Turkey, Sweden and Malaysia.

“Creating a brand image is very crucial for Bangladesh to attract investment. To this end, we have already signed deals with the international media like Bloomberg, and will do so with CNN, BBC and such others,” he added.

According to BIDA Executive Chairman Md Sirazul Islam, the country is ready to hold the summit; some participants will directly attend it while some virtually. The delegates from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the USA have already arrived in Dhaka, and the ministers from India, China and Japan are expected to join the event virtually.

“The main goal to organise the international investment summit is to highlight the socio-economic development so far made by Bangladesh,” added Sirajul.

“We hope that the event will bring more FDI for the country.”

In January, a big investment is expected from Saudi Arabia, and 21 companies have already shown interest to invest in the Bangladesh, he said.