60+ Foreign Investors to Visit Bangladesh's Key Economic Zones

Representatives from over 60 companies, primarily from abroad, will visit three of Bangladesh's prominent economic zones during the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025, scheduled from April 7 to 10 in Dhaka. The summit aims to highlight the manufacturing potential of these zones, according to officials from the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).

Investors, advisers, and consultants will visit the Korean Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Anwara, Chattogram, and the National Special Economic Zone (NSEZ) in Mirsharai, Chattogram, on April 7 and 8. A separate group will visit the Bangladesh Special Economic Zone, also known as the Japanese Economic Zone, in Araihazar, Narayanganj.

“We want to showcase the available facilities at these zones,” said BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun. Along with foreign investors, the summit will also feature local entrepreneurs on the verge of making investment decisions.

The visiting investors include representatives from UAE-based JPG Investments, USA-based Anchorless Bangladesh, Sinbad Capital, HSBC, China’s Rainmaker Ventures, and Talents Investment Management LLP, among others. Executives from consulting firms in the Netherlands, USA, and Singapore, as well as companies from China, Saudi Arabia, India, and Japan, will also attend.

The National Special Economic Zone (NSEZ), which spans 33,805 acres across Chattogram and Feni, is being developed as a manufacturing hub. Already home to factories like Asian Paints, Berger, and Nippon McDonald Steel, the zone has 28 factories under construction, with 41 companies having signed lease agreements. Notably, 24 Chinese firms have committed to investing over $1.4 billion in the zone.

Meanwhile, the 2,500-acre Korean EPZ in Anwara has created 34,000 jobs across 48 state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, including apparel giant Youngone.

The Japanese Economic Zone, a 1,000-acre site in Araihazar, has attracted over $200 million in investment proposals and is already home to Singer’s manufacturing facility. Several other companies are set to begin production soon, including Lion Kallol Limited, a major Japanese consumer goods company.

Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun emphasized that the summit is an opportunity to provide foreign investors with a clearer understanding of Bangladesh’s economic landscape and growth potential. “This summit will not only showcase investment opportunities but also highlight the reforms undertaken to create a more business-friendly environment,” he said.

The summit, jointly hosted by BIDA and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), will be inaugurated by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. The event has already attracted over 2,300 registered participants from 50 countries, including more than 550 foreign investors.

With a focus on foreign investments, particularly those intended for export, the summit aims to position Bangladesh as an attractive global investment destination.