Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has pledged further reforms to improve the country’s business environment, reduce regulatory barriers and strengthen investor confidence, as the government seeks to attract greater domestic and foreign investment.
Speaking at a luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) at the InterContinental Dhaka, the Finance Minister said the government was pursuing deregulation measures and creating mechanisms through which businesses could flag regulatory bottlenecks.
The event, titled “Building Investors’ Confidence: From Policy Reform to Effective Implementation,” brought together senior government officials, policymakers, business leaders, investors and members of the business community to discuss Bangladesh’s investment climate and the implementation of economic reforms.
Chowdhury said reforms to the taxation system were also under way, with greater use of expertise and automation intended to create a more efficient and transparent framework. The government was also working to simplify port and customs procedures to facilitate trade and investment, he said.
He stressed that policy predictability and consistency would be crucial to restoring and strengthening investor confidence, adding that sustained engagement with the private sector would remain a government priority.
During an interactive question-and-answer session moderated by AmCham President Syed Mohammad Kamal, business representatives raised issues including revenue mobilisation, private investment, the regulatory environment and access to capital for startups and emerging companies.
The finance minister said the government wanted to benchmark compliant businesses, ensure that tax obligations were properly met and accelerate the full automation of the taxation system. Such measures, he said, would help reduce corruption while improving efficiency.
Opening the event, Kamal highlighted the potential for increased US investment in Bangladesh, particularly in emerging and technology-driven sectors. He said Bangladesh possessed many of the fundamentals sought by international investors, but argued that consistent implementation of reforms would be essential to converting that potential into sustained investment.
Kamal said turning reform commitments into predictable and tangible outcomes would help strengthen Bangladesh’s position as a destination for US investment, technology and trade in South Asia.
Md Mahbub ur Rahman, chief executive officer of HSBC, said investor confidence ultimately depended on the security and stability of capital, supported by a predictable and transparent business environment.
He also called for Bangladesh to build on its competitive strengths and improve trade facilitation, arguing that easier trade would help attract greater domestic and foreign investment.
The discussions come as Bangladesh seeks to improve its investment environment and translate policy reforms into practical improvements for businesses. Participants at the AmCham luncheon emphasised that effective implementation, regulatory certainty and a more automated tax and customs system would be key to determining whether reform momentum translates into higher investment.