The 30th World Investment Conference is being held in Geneva from 10 to 12 November under the initiative of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA); the award is given as part of it. An independent international jury selected agencies for special recognition based on high-quality achievements by international standards from descriptions of activities submitted by investment development agencies of least developed countries.
Invest Bangladesh has been recognized mainly for its work in two areas: the various reforms taken to make investment easier in Bangladesh and its role in advancing the process of implementing APM Terminals’ $550 million Laldia Container Terminal project. The fully electric terminal is scheduled to be launched in 2030; once launched, Chattogram Port’s container handling capacity is expected to increase by 44 percent.
Ashik Chowdhury, Chairman of Invest Bangladesh, said, ‘The work of investment development is not limited to just carrying out activities. The main goal is to create an environment in which investors can more easily move forward in implementing their plans. This recognition is the achievement of our collective efforts.’
Before the reforms undertaken in 2025 to improve the investment environment were formulated, discussions were held with nearly 200 domestic and foreign investors. The reforms included expanding the bonded warehouse facility for partial exporters, digitizing the security clearance process for foreign professionals, and taking initiatives to make it easier to borrow from abroad and repatriate capital. Nineteen priority sectors were also identified through the FDI Heatmap. In March 2026, the agency announced a 180-day investment action plan, and its progress report was published in September.
During this time, Invest Bangladesh was formed through the merger of several organizations; as a result, investment facilitation, economic zones, and PPP activities came under one authority. In 2025, net foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bangladesh increased by about 39 percent. The agency is currently monitoring the progress of potential investment proposals worth about $1.3 billion coming from various sectors and countries.
