DP World and AP Moller--Maersk, two major global port handlers, have expressed interest in making big investments in Bangladesh to help the country build new ports along the Bay of Bengal.

The firms came up with the proposals when Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, group chairman and chief executive officer of DP World, and Robert Maersk Uggla, chair of AP Moller-Maersk, met Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in Davos, Switzerland, during the World Economic Forum Summit on Thursday.

Sulayem said they want to invest in the New Mooring Container Terminal, as well as to reduce congestion and emissions in the Chittagong port and increase efficiency.

The CEO of the UAE-based logistics company insisted that investment in the New Mooring Container Terminal near Chittagong Port would help Bangladesh attract more foreign investment.

It happened in every country where DP World invested, Sulayem told Yunus, adding that they were previously interested to invest in Bangladesh in 2022 but were snubbed by the then government.

Sulayem also said they want to introduce a digital online customs procedure at the Chittagong port, which would help curb corruption.

Chief Adviser Yunus told Sulayem that Bangladesh wants to make Chittagong port more efficient and build more ports along the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

"We have to do it as our future lies with the Chittagong port. We want to make it the biggest port in the region," he said.

He said the government wants to increase the efficiency of Chittagong port as Bangladesh believes it can be a regional hub for exports handling containers for Nepal, Bhutan and Northeastern Indian states, among others.

"We have to do it fast because time is a cost," he said.

Robert Maersk said they want to invest in the Laldia container terminal, also near Chittagong port, and transform it into a green port.

He added that they implemented similar projects in Morocco and Oman.

The Salalah Port in Oman has become one of the best ports in the world with their investment, Maersk said.

Yunus invited DP World and AP Moller–Maersk officials to visit Dhaka with concrete investment proposals.