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The government has intensified efforts to attract the level of foreign investment needed to transform Bangladesh into a US$1 trillion economy by 2034, with several countries already engaged in discussions on investment opportunities, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after a closed-door roundtable titled “Roadmap for Trade, Growth and Economic Diplomacy-2026: The Capital Dialogue,” the state minister said Bangladesh is witnessing growing interest from international investors across multiple sectors.
“Many countries are already talking to us about how they can invest in different sectors. Many investors are already in contact with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and are also working with the Ministry of Commerce,” she said.
She noted that China, Japan, the United States and several other countries have expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh, with discussions continuing to facilitate new projects.
The roundtable, attended by Prime Minister’s Finance and Planning Adviser Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir and senior policymakers, focused on strengthening economic diplomacy, enhancing trade and attracting investment to support Bangladesh’s long-term growth strategy.
Responding to a question, Shama Obaed said the blue economy has been identified as one of the government’s priority sectors for foreign investment.
“There are enormous opportunities in Bangladesh, particularly in the blue economy. We want European countries and other partners to invest in this promising sector,” she said.
The state minister said the government plans to organise more policy dialogues and consultations to identify investment bottlenecks and formulate practical solutions.
“We want to bring the challenges to the table and work collectively toward resolving them,” she said.
She added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is placing increasing emphasis on economic diplomacy, in line with the government’s policy priorities, to strengthen Bangladesh’s global economic engagement and attract greater foreign direct investment (FDI).
According to Shama Obaed, the government is developing a new economic model to steer the country through current global and domestic economic challenges while accelerating investment, administrative reforms, industrial revival and long-term agricultural transformation.
“We are working to bring the economy back on track and transform it into a dynamic and resilient economy,” she said.
Bangladesh has already taken several initiatives to position itself as an attractive investment destination as it prepares for graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category and advances negotiations on a number of bilateral trade and investment agreements.
As part of that effort, the government organised the Bangladesh Trade and Investment Conference 2026 in Dhaka on June 13 under the theme “Navigating Risks – Unlocking Resilience.”
Jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and BIDA, the conference brought together senior government officials, diplomats, representatives of multilateral development institutions, business leaders and private sector stakeholders to discuss Bangladesh’s evolving trade, investment and economic priorities.
The conference featured plenary discussions and thematic roundtables covering trade and investment policy, financing and capital mobilisation, market access, industrial competitiveness, artificial intelligence, creative industries and sports, as Bangladesh seeks to strengthen its investment climate and achieve its ambitious economic goals.
