Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), said Bangladesh and China are entering a new phase of economic cooperation, marked by the arrival of the largest-ever Chinese business delegation to the country.
Speaking at a press conference following the ‘Bangladesh-China Conference on Investment and Trade’ in Dhaka, he described the visit as a milestone in bilateral economic relations.
“This delegation, consisting of around 250 investors and business leaders from 143 companies — including several of China’s top firms — reflects growing interest in Bangladesh’s investment potential,” he said.
The conference was jointly organized by BEZA, BIDA, China’s Ministry of Commerce, and the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka. Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus attended the opening session as chief guest, while China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao also participated.
Key topics discussed during the technical sessions included investment opportunities in Bangladesh’s economic zones, potential joint ventures in the garment and textile sectors, technology transfer in electronics and machinery, and prospects in agriculture and food processing.
Ashik Chowdhury noted that around 550 business representatives from both countries took part in the discussions, with Chinese delegates expressing strong interest in multiple sectors. More than 100 bilateral business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) meetings were held during the conference.
“Entrepreneurs from both nations exchanged views on future joint ventures and strategic collaborations,” he said.
A highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between BEZA and Power China International Group Limited. The agreement outlines plans to develop a Chinese Agrivoltaics Economic Zone in Matlab Uttar Upazila, located in Chandpur district.