Polished Presentations Fail to Attract Foreign Investment in Bangladesh

Despite flashy presentations and international-style investment conferences, Bangladesh is witnessing a dramatic decline in foreign direct investment (FDI), hitting its lowest point in 14 years. Economic stagnation, rising unemployment, and the closure of export-oriented industries are being attributed to political unrest, mob violence, deteriorating law and order, and the perceived inexperience and apathy of the interim government.

In April, the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) hosted what it billed as a “global standard” investment summit, complete with elaborate branding and bold promises. Executive Chairman Ashiq Chowdhury spoke of multi-billion-dollar prospects, participation from international media, diplomats, private sector stakeholders, and political partners. He even proudly shared a link to his fluent English presentation across social media platforms.

However, the reality on the ground told a different story. A closer look revealed that many so-called "foreign" attendees were actually Bangladeshi nationals posing as international investors. For the few genuine foreign participants, no concrete proof of investment capacity was ever presented. The summit quickly became the subject of ridicule across social media, exposing a gap between rhetoric and reality.

According to data from Bangladesh Bank, FDI during July 2024 to April 2025 stood at a mere USD 910 million—down nearly 28% from the same period the previous year. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–21), FDI reached USD 1.32 billion. In 2018–19, it stood at a healthy USD 3.48 billion.

The sharp decline in FDI has been attributed to several factors:

Political uncertainty and violence

Absence of long-term, investor-friendly policies

Import restrictions and a dollar liquidity crisis

Breakdown of law and order and mob-led intimidation

Rising insecurity in the business environment

Following the political power shift in August 2024, the situation has worsened. Manufacturing firms have lost major export orders, and large corporate groups are reeling from millions of dollars in lost contracts.

Economists and business leaders are unanimous: well-crafted PowerPoint presentations and extravagant summits are no substitute for political stability, a democratically elected government, and coherent long-term policy frameworks. Only with these fundamentals in place can Bangladesh hope to restore investor confidence and revive its business climate. Simply saying “Insha’Allah, things will get better” is no longer enough.