Chinese businesses keen to invest in Bangladesh: Ashik Chowdhury

Chinese investors expressed renewed interest in Bangladesh's key economic sectors during a series of high-level bilateral meetings held in Shanghai and Guangzhou last week.

They shared their thoughts when a Bangladesh delegation, led by Ashik Chowdhury, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority, visited the two Chinese cities from July 20 to 26.

A major highlight of the visit—during which they engaged directly with over 100 potential investors—was an investment seminar jointly organised by Bida and the Embassy of Bangladesh in Shanghai on July 21.

Officials from Handa Industries and New Tiger Energy were among the participants at the event, where they shared their experiences of operating in Bangladesh and praised the country's recent improvements in the investment climate.

Alongside the seminar, the delegation held more than 25 bilateral meetings with firms keen to explore new or expanded ventures in Bangladesh.

Sectors attracting the most attention included renewable energy, readymade garments, healthcare, and consumer electronics.

"We are encouraged by the positive engagement from Chinese companies," said Chowdhury.

"These interactions allowed us to highlight recent policy progress in Bangladesh—particularly regarding currency stability and streamlined investment procedures. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive."

The Bangladesh delegation also included senior officials from Citibank NA, Eastern Bank, HSBC, and Standard Chartered Bangladesh, reflecting a coordinated public-private approach to investment promotion.

Beyond investor outreach, the team explored future collaboration with key Chinese business associations and members of the non-resident Bangladeshi community, according to a Bida statement.

Discussions also began on establishing Bida's first overseas office in East Asia, aimed at providing dedicated support for investor facilitation in the region, the statement read.