On April 8, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced plans to host a series of breakfast meetings with Chinese and South Korean investors to address investment concerns and expedite the investment process in Bangladesh. The announcement was made during a meeting with a group of prominent Chinese investors at the State Guest House Jamuna.
The meeting saw the participation of at least 30 influential Chinese investors, representing major global companies in diverse sectors, including infrastructure, power, transport, renewable energy, textiles, mobile telecommunications, waste management, logistics, and IT services. Chief Adviser Yunus was joined by Bida Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun and SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, with the investors visiting Bangladesh as part of the ongoing Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025.
Speaking at the meeting, Yunus highlighted the government’s ongoing reforms to improve the investment climate, trade regulations, and labor policies. These reforms, he said, would not only attract more foreign investment to Bangladesh but also facilitate the relocation of Chinese and South Korean manufacturing plants to the country. “Over the last eight months, we have focused on creating a more conducive environment for foreign investment. Bangladesh has never had such an investor-friendly environment before,” he noted.
Yunus further explained that the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) would host monthly breakfast meetings with Korean and Chinese investors, set for the 10th of each month. While BIDA will host these sessions, Yunus confirmed that he would attend some of them personally to hear directly from investors about their challenges and concerns.
In addition to the breakfast meetings, Yunus proposed the establishment of a dedicated hotline and call center service for foreign investors to promptly address and resolve any complaints. “Any investor can call this number, register their complaints, and we will respond accordingly,” he said.
The Chinese delegation was led by Pauline Ngan, Vice President of Mainland Headgear Company Limited, one of the largest companies globally. Yunus also shared insights from his recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where President Xi expressed a strong commitment to encouraging top Chinese companies to invest in Bangladesh. “I was deeply touched by his gesture,” Yunus said.
During the meeting, Chinese companies expressed interest in investing in both the dedicated Chinese economic zone in Chattogram and the planned Chinese economic zone in Mongla, where China is set to modernize a seaport. Several companies also signaled their intention to establish Bangladesh as their South Asian production and operations hub. “We have a readymade market here, and in addition, you can cater to landlocked countries such as Nepal and Bhutan,” Yunus added.
Furthermore, some of the larger Chinese firms expressed interest in transitioning to electric vehicles (EV), lithium-ion battery production, and investing in renewable energy, including wind turbines and offshore photovoltaic solar power generation. Yunus emphasized that these sectors could play a significant role in shaping Bangladesh’s future as a global manufacturing center.
Tags:Muhammad Yunus, breakfast meetings, Korean investors, Chinese investors, Bangladesh investment, foreign investment, investment summit, Bangladesh economic reforms, BIDA, renewable energy investment, electric vehicles, Chinese economic zone, South Korean manufacturing, investment in BangladeshÂ