Business Report :
The Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), in collaboration with JETRO, the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Association in Dhaka (JCIAD), and HSBC Bangladesh, organised a seminar “Japan-Bangladesh Collaboration: Enhancing FDI and Economic Partnership” at a city hotel on Tuesday.
The event was further supported by the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh, JICA, and JBCCI. The seminar aimed to foster deeper economic ties between Japan and Bangladesh, focusing on enhancing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and strengthening economic partnerships.
Lutfey Siddiqi, Special Envoy on International Affairs to the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, graced the event as the Chief Guest. Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of BIDA and BEZA, and H.E. IWAMA Kiminori, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, attended as Special Guests.
The seminar featured a range of prominent keynote speakers and discussants from Japan, Bangladesh, and various international organizations, who shared insights into the potential for collaboration between the two nations.
Yuji Ando, Country Representative of JETRO Bangladesh, delivered the first keynote presentation on “Business Opportunities and Challenges of Doing Business in Bangladesh”, shedding light on the growing interest of Japanese SMEs in expanding their businesses in Bangladesh.
He reported that 45.5per cent of companies in the region plan to expand operations within the next 1-2 years, with Bangladesh emerging as a top destination at 61.2per cent.
However,Ando also highlighted significant challenges, such as high dissatisfaction with the business environment, with 70.8per cent of respondents pointing to areas for improvement.
He emphasized the need to address issues such as customs clearance procedures, transparency, and local procurement practices. Additionally, he noted that the production costs in Bangladesh were competitive, being less than 60per cent of those in Japan.
The second keynote on “Investment Promotion in Bangladesh and JICA’s Engagement” was presented by ICHIGUCHI Tomohide, Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh, who discussed JICA’s initiatives to support Bangladesh’s economic growth.
