Staff Reporter :
To support new entrepreneurs, Bangladesh Bank is planning to create a special fund of around Tk 900 crore which will be used solely to provide capital to startup companies, according to the Bangladesh Bank Governor.
Dr Ahsan H Mansur made these remarks during the “Startup Connect” session of the Bangladesh Investment Summit, kicked off Monday in a city hotel with the Startup Connect session.
The session was attended by young and innovative entrepreneurs from both home and abroad.
Titled “Empowering Innovation, Connecting Opportunity,” the session highlighted the potential of Bangladesh’s youth in the keynote speech delivered by Tanveer Ali, a Canadian citizen of Bangladeshi origin.
It was stated that in a fast-growing economy like Bangladesh, there is a rising demand for innovative startup initiatives. However, compared to competing countries, investment in this sector is still low in Bangladesh.
The co-founder of LinkedIn Reid Hoffman also sent a message virtually during the event. Other notable participants in the discussion included the BIDA chairman Ashiq Chowdhury, Soecial Assistant to Chief Adviser Faiz Taiyeb Ahmad, ICT Division Secratary Shish Haider Chowdhury and representatives from the ICT sector.
BB Governor also mentioned that an official circular regarding this initiative will be issued.
Shish Haider Chowdhury, also Chairman of Startup Bangladesh Limited, saidi with nearly $1.0 billion raised-76 per cent of it from venture capital-and growing interest from over 300 local and international investors, our ecosystem is no longer just emerging; it is thriving.
This four-day summit will bring together more than 70 speakers, 25 venture capital firms, and hundreds of changemakers to co-create the next chapter in Bangladesh’s innovation journey. This summit is not just about showcasing startups-it’s about shaping the future of inclusive innovation.
