BIDA converts over $400M investments from $1.5B pipeline

According to BIDA, the investment pipeline comprised 70 potential investors from 20 countries, with the leading source countries being Turkey, China, Singapore, the Netherlands and South Korea.

 The authority said that the initiative achieved a conversion rate of more than 15 percent, surpassing global benchmarks for moving investment leads into active execution.

Among the largest investments, Hong Kong-based Handa Industries Ltd. doubled its planned investment to $300 million after receiving facilitation from BIDA, the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA). 

The project is expected to generate around 25,000 jobs, with an $80 million garment factory at the Mirsarai BEPZA SEZ in the first phase and a $220 million integrated textile complex in Keraniganj in the second phase.

China's Hengli Group, through its subsidiary Lead Bangladesh Textile Technology Co. Ltd., is investing $35 million at the Bangladesh Special Economic Zone (BSEZ) in Araihazar to establish an advanced automated textile manufacturing facility.

Meanwhile, China Lesso Group has finalized a $32 million investment in a heavy manufacturing plant at the National SEZ in Chattogram to produce PVC pipes, solar panels and other construction materials with a focus on green and sustainable production.

In the financial sector, Sri Lanka's Softlogic Life Insurance acquired a 60 percent stake in Diamond Life Insurance for about $1.90 million, introducing AI-based underwriting and faster insurance claim settlement technologies.

Malaysia's MR.DIY has expanded its presence to more than 17 mega stores across Dhaka, Chattogram and Rajshahi with regulatory support from BIDA and Bangladesh Bank, while Megarich, a producer of airline amenity kits, is investing $15 million to diversify Bangladesh's export basket beyond the ready-made garment sector.

BIDA said these investments are contributing to technology transfer, strengthening domestic supply chains and reducing import dependence in key industries.

 The authority aims to build another $1.5 billion investment pipeline by the end of 2026 through dedicated investment teams and specialized sectoral desks, reports BSS.