Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) announced the ‘Bangladesh Investment Summit’ targeting billion-dollar foreign investment. This summit will be held in the second week of April next. The summit is being organized to attract foreign investors to invest in Bangladesh.
Efforts are underway to bring world-famous entrepreneur and US billionaire Elon Musk, Chinese businessman and philanthropist Jack Ma, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to Dhaka, according to the sources at the Finance Division and BIDA.
Abul Kasem Khan, former president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) told Bangladesh Pratidin that if the business environment prevails, then investors will come, otherwise not. However, this kind of summit will play to make one kind of awareness among the investors. But entrepreneurs will decide in where they will invest. It is possible to attract the investors by ensuring facilities and return of the investment.
According to the schedule, ‘Bangladesh Investment Summit’ will be held from April 7-10. The process of registration has already been started by opening a webpage. Foreign investors will see the investment environment at the summit. They will be informed about the overall facilities at economic zones, export processing zones and other facilities.
Sources said organizers are inviting investors from various regions of the world. However, emphasis is being put on the investors of Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, Australia, and the European Union. Besides, the World Bank, ADB, JICA, JETRO and other influential money lenders are being invited to the summit. The representatives of the interim government will hold bilateral meetings with these countries, companies and organizations. At the same time, other investment banks and corporations will be connected at the investment summit. Participants at the summit will visit the investment environment in Bangladesh. They will visit the National Economic Zone in Mirsharai, the Japan Economic Zone and some factories of successful Bangladeshi business persons.
Summit organizers are trying to bring some successful entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, Jack Ma and Mark Zuckerberg by using the image of the Chief Adviser Dr Mohammad Yunus. Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) is organizing the summit. However, the government will engage with it. The government hopes that the name of a unique Bangladesh will spread worldwide through this summit.
BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun said, "There are challenges alongside investment possibilities in the country. We have taken the initiative to increase local and foreign investment by overcoming the challenges gradually. We are going to organize an investment summit in April. In 2016, the Bangladesh Investment and Policy Summit was held."
bd-pratidin/GR
