Staff Reporter :
Investment and employment must not become casualties in political disputes, the head of Bangladesh’s principal investment authority said on Monday, as representatives from 17 political parties gathered in Dhaka for a rare instance of cross-party dialogue amid ongoing economic and political uncertainty.
“Investment and employment are matters of national interest, transcending the interests of any single political party,” said Ashik Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), in his opening remarks at the agency’s headquarters in Agargaon.
“There are several crises affecting the investment sector. I look forward to productive discussions on how we might overcome these challenges over the next six to eight months,” he added.
The event, a stakeholder consultation organised by BIDA, sought to collect feedback from political parties on key reform priorities, policy stability, and sustainable investment strategies. The discussion comes at a time when Bangladesh is navigating a sensitive political transition under an interim government.
Parties from across the political spectrum-including Jamaat-e-Islami, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Ganasamhati Andolan, Islami Andolan, and Nagorik Oikya-welcomed BIDA’s efforts to engage with political actors.
Many praised the agency’s outreach and ongoing reform agenda, while also calling for greater focus on domestic investors and stronger safeguards for the national interest.
Nahian Rahman Rochi, BIDA’s Head of Business Development, presented findings from recent consultations with more than 200 domestic investors. The review identified five critical concerns: enhancing government service delivery, maintaining policy continuity, strengthening industry engagement, tackling corruption, and improving access to essential resources.
While overall support for BIDA’s reform agenda was evident, several participants emphasised the need for deeper institutional capacity, particularly in areas such as workforce training, legal reform, infrastructure improvement, and ensuring environmental and social sustainability of investments.
Dr MM Akash, economist and central committee member of the CPB, warned against short-term thinking in policy development. “If the interim government intends to remain beyond June 2026, it must take a long-term view,” he said. “Otherwise, its focus should be on rectifying past policy missteps, such as the Rampal Power Plant and Payra Port projects.”
Nasiruddin Patwary, Chief Coordinator of the Nationalist Citizens’ Platform (NCP), proposed the creation of a “financier’s charter” – a cross-party commitment to preserving investment policy continuity regardless of future changes in government. “Governments may change, but investment policies should not,” he said.
In response, BIDA’s Executive Chairman reiterated the agency’s commitment to national interest. “We will place greater emphasis on domestic investors in our next strategy presentation,” Chowdhury said.
“The Chittagong Port is more than a port; it is a strategic asset. We are determined to develop it to world-class standards, but without compromising sovereignty or regional security.”
Although a post-event press conference had been announced, it was subsequently cancelled. Officials stated that a formal statement would be issued in due course.
Nonetheless, the meeting marked an uncommon moment of political consensus on economic policy, with stakeholders stressing the need to elevate investment strategy above partisan considerations and ensure long-term policy stability for the country’s sustainable development.
