Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Bangladesh rose by 19.13% in the first year following the July 2024 mass uprising, defying global trends where political upheavals typically trigger sharp declines in foreign investment.
The data, compiled by the World Bank and Bangladesh Bank, was revealed on Monday in a Facebook post by Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).
Published under the title “FDI Picture Post-Mass Uprising,” the figures underscore sustained investor confidence in Bangladesh’s economy despite the political transition and uncertainty that followed last year’s movement.
“Bangladesh’s greatest strength lies in its ability to bounce back despite adversities. In most countries, FDI plummets after such movements — but we are witnessing the opposite,” said Ashik Chowdhury.
Citing examples, he noted that FDI fell by 27.6% in Sudan after its 2019 unrest, 19.49% in Sri Lanka in 2022, 15.68% in Chile in 2019, 81.21% in Ukraine in 2014, 107.55% in Egypt in 2011, and a staggering 161.45% in Indonesia following the 1998 crisis.
In contrast, Bangladesh’s investment growth reflects what he described as “a combination of sound economic management and institutional commitment.”
He credited the resilience to coordinated efforts among key agencies including the National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Bank, the PPP Authority, and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), alongside the private sector’s determination to sustain investor confidence.
Looking ahead, Ashik Chowdhury acknowledged that FDI inflows could experience a short-term slowdown ahead of the upcoming national election, but expressed optimism that investment momentum will regain pace thereafter.
“We have always tried our best to assist investors. Not all problems have been solved, but there has never been a lack of goodwill,” he said, adding that BIDA plans to publish a comprehensive annual report on the country’s investment performance soon.