Bangladesh Urges Chinese Banks to Establish Local Presence

Invest Bangladesh Chairman Ashik Chowdhury has urged major Chinese financial institutions to establish banking operations in Bangladesh to facilitate trade finance, provide capital solutions and support long-term investment as bilateral trade and industrial partnerships expand.

He made the call at “Bangladesh Day”, jointly organised by the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank) and Invest Bangladesh at the Chinese bank’s headquarters in Beijing on Tuesday.

The high-level event brought together representatives from 11 leading Chinese financial institutions, including three of the world’s four largest banks by assets: the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the Agricultural Bank of China and the Bank of China. Executives from 26 major Chinese companies operating in infrastructure, power, information and communication technology, environmental solutions, consumer electronics and agricultural technology also attended.

Addressing the forum as chief guest, Chowdhury identified financial connectivity as the next major area for Bangladesh-China cooperation.

“Chinese enterprises investing in Bangladesh need efficient trade finance, equipment financing, working capital solutions and long-term investment support,” he said.

He added that the two countries’ trade volume highlighted the need for stronger financial links. Bangladeshi businesses need access to technology and productive partnerships, while a greater presence of Chinese financial institutions could benefit both sides and make investment decisions easier to implement, he said.

In a joint keynote presentation titled “The Next Frontier — Bangladesh-China Financial Connectivity”, Bangladesh Bank and Invest Bangladesh noted that bilateral trade between the two countries reached $19 billion in the 2024–25 fiscal year.

Despite the substantial trade volume, Bangladesh has no Chinese bank operating locally, unlike markets such as Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, the presentation said.

It also outlined priority investment sectors and specialised economic zones, including the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) and the Mongla Economic Zone, highlighting opportunities for Chinese companies and the financial institutions supporting their investments.

Wang Kang, vice-president of China Exim Bank, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting international trade and investment as a policy bank.

“We currently have nearly 40 projects in Bangladesh, spanning infrastructure, energy, agriculture, processing and manufacturing,” Wang said.

He added that the bank would encourage more leading Chinese companies to invest directly in priority sectors, including textiles and healthcare, while ensuring that financing supports the development of Bangladesh’s real economy.

Bangladesh’s Ambassador to China, Md. Nazmul Islam, also addressed the event. Dedicated sessions on bilateral trade financing were followed by networking discussions on potential partnerships between Chinese companies and Bangladeshi counterparts.