Bangladesh eyes record Chinese investment via trade summit

Bangladesh is poised to secure its largest-ever foreign direct investment (FDI) from China through economic zones and other sectors, with a high-profile trade and investment conference scheduled for 1 June at the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).

“We expect significant FDI from China in the coming years, particularly as we prepare to host a major trade conference featuring top Chinese business delegates led by Commerce Minister Wang Wentao,” a senior official at the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) told reporters on Wednesday.

The day-long “China-Bangladesh Conference on Investment and Trade” will feature five thematic sessions focusing on bilateral trade and investment opportunities in key sectors such as garments and textiles, agro-processing and food, machinery, and infrastructure. Both Chinese and Bangladeshi business leaders will participate.

“The visit will pave the way for joint ventures and trade collaborations,” the official said. “In addition to the main sessions, nearly 100 B2G (business-to-government) and B2B (business-to-business) meetings are expected to take place throughout the day.”

The official added that major investment announcements are anticipated during the summit, with expectations for a substantial increase in FDI following the event.

According to BIDA and BEZA, the visiting Chinese delegation will include representatives from the textile, pharmaceutical, electronics, and agriculture sectors.

The Chief Adviser’s Office, BIDA, BEZA, the Ministry of Commerce, and other relevant government bodies are coordinating preparations.

“The conference will have four major segments designed to foster networking between Bangladeshi and Chinese businesses. It is similar in scale to the recent Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025,” the official noted, adding that the long-term impact of the conference will materialise over the next few years.

BEZA officials highlighted that Bangladesh is currently prioritising the development of a dedicated Chinese economic zone in Anwara upazila of Chattogram.

“We are focusing our efforts on finalising the proposal for the Chinese zone, which is expected to be approved soon by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC),” a BEZA official said.

In addition to Anwara, BEZA has also approved two other zones in Chandpur and Bhola specifically for Chinese investors.

“We are ready to allocate land in any economic zone based on Chinese investor demand, including zones developed under public-private partnerships,” the official added.

While no formal investment agreements are expected to be signed during the visit, officials said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) may be signed to establish a joint working group to promote bilateral trade.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus will inaugurate the conference as the chief guest, while Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao will attend as special guest.

Around 250 investors and business representatives from nearly 100 Chinese companies—including executives from several Fortune 500 firms—are expected to participate.

Additionally, leaders from four major Chinese chambers of commerce will attend the event, which is being seen as a direct follow-up to the chief adviser’s recent visit to China and the investment summit held there in April.

“This is the largest-ever Chinese business delegation to visit Bangladesh,” the BEZA official noted.

Minister Wang is expected to arrive in Dhaka around noon on 31 May and will meet with Commerce Adviser SK Bashir Uddin that afternoon.

On the evening of 1 June, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed will host a dinner in honour of the delegation.

The visit will conclude with the meeting of the Bangladesh–China Joint Commission on Economy and Trade on 2 June, where Minister Wang will lead the Chinese delegation.