American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AMCHAM) President Syed Ershad Ahmed said, “To attract investment, it is important to ensure energy security, combat corruption, and maintain long-term policy consistency. Ensuring these will further strengthen investor confidence.”

He made these remarks at a discussion titled ‘AmCham Insights: Economic and Investment Outlook’ at the Sheraton in Dhaka on Thursday (October 16).

The meeting was attended by Dr. Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), and Shah Mohammad Mahbub, Executive Member of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority. The event was supported by Philip Morris Bangladesh Limited.

The AmCham President said, “Bangladesh is currently going through a crucial transformation phase, with various reform initiatives underway, such as improving logistics infrastructure management, splitting the NBR into two separate units, and strengthening good governance in the banking sector. These initiatives reflect a strong desire to build a sustainable and investment-friendly economy.”

CPD Executive Director Dr. Fahmida Khatun said, “The non-performing loan rate is over 20 percent, the highest in Asia. Private investment is at its lowest level in the last five years.” Therefore, she called for rapid and effective reforms in revenue management, energy sector administration, and banking sector supervision, so that confidence and stability can be re-established.

Sultana Yasmin, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Industries, said, “Work is underway to promote private sector growth, exports, and the development of the SME sector through the implementation of the National Industrial Policy 2022. Various steps have been taken, including digitalization through one-stop service and online approval system, and updating of the Electric Vehicle Policy and Logistics Policy.”