Dhaka – Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has requested foreign investors to expand their ventures to help his efforts to turn the South Asian country into a trillion-dollar economy within the next eight years, in line with his economic policy.
The Prime Minister, while addressing the FDI Conference organized by the Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Dhaka on Thursday, also pledged his government’s support for investors.
He promised a business-friendly environment backed by policy reforms, legal protection, and government support to drive investment, job creation, and long-term economic growth.
“I welcome all of you to invest and flourish in Bangladesh. Let us grow together, create jobs, and shape Bangladesh. Let us become partners in building a prosperous and globally connected Bangladesh,” he told the gathering at the Bangladesh-China Conference Center.
The event, titled “Driving Foreign Investment for Jobs and Prosperity in Bangladesh,” was attended by leading businessmen, representatives of foreign companies, diplomats, and local policymakers.
Prime Minister Rahman took over in February 2026 after his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won a landslide election victory in the aftermath of Bangladesh’s political changeover in August 2024, when a mass upsurge ousted the government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
His government’s first national budget, outlined in June, made an ambitious target of building a trillion-dollar Bangladesh economy by 2034, up from an estimated $501 billion now.
“Our first budget provides targeted incentives for priority sectors, including renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, electronics, digital services, agro-processing, advanced textiles, healthcare, and logistics,” he said, referring to his government’s budget priorities.
“We are positioning Bangladesh as a manufacturing hub, expanding and diversifying our ready-made garment industry, and investing in the skills, know-how, and technologies needed for human capital development,” he added.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh’s future depends not only on attracting investment but also on building lasting partnerships.
“I invite every business leader in this room to become part of that future. Together, we can build an economy that is stronger, equitable, and inclusive,” he told the gathering.
“The new, forward-looking BNP government wants your companies to invest and expand in Bangladesh. Whether you are a local entrepreneur or a foreign investor, when you invest in Bangladesh, our government will invest in you through our time, support, and policies,” he said.
His government is committed to creating a rules-based, globally connected, and private sector-driven economy, he promised.
“Our election manifesto provides a clear roadmap for economic transformation. We invite you not only to invest in Bangladesh but also to become partners in delivering that vision,” the premier said.
Expressing appreciation to foreign investors for their contribution to Bangladesh’s development, Rahman said their investments in Bangladesh have created jobs, introduced new technologies, strengthened global supply chains, and contributed to the country’s economic progress.
Drawing on his own experience as a businessman before entering politics, he said, “From my experience, I have learnt that businesses do not succeed only because of entrepreneurial credentials or political promises. They partly succeed because of the government policies that support growth.”
The Prime Minister said the country offers a rapidly expanding domestic market, a young and industrious workforce, a strategic geographical location, and an elected government with overwhelming public support.
“Together, these strengths position Bangladesh for sustained prosperity,” he added.
The premier said that though his government has completed five months in office, his party had started taking policy preparations long before the election, with discussions from various stakeholders.
“Their message was clear: Bangladesh needs stronger legal protection for investment, a modern regulatory framework, a simpler tax system, easier profit repatriation, a deeper capital market, and better infrastructure,” Tarique Rahman said.
“We listened carefully, and now we are acting accordingly,” he said, adding that his government was now modernizing the legal and regulatory framework, strengthening investor protection, improving dispute resolution, simplifying tax and VAT administration, and making it easier to repatriate profits.
