Invest Bangladesh executive chairman Ashik Chowdhury has called upon the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) to globally showcase successful examples of foreign direct investment (FDI) in emerging economies like Bangladesh.
Speaking at a ministerial roundtable discussion during the World Investment Forum in Doha, Ashik Chowdhury suggested that Unctad consider mechanisms to share investment risks, drawing on models utilized by the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (Miga) and export credit agencies.
Highlighting the stark global disparity in capital flows, Unctad data reveals that over 80% of global FDI in 2025 went to just 20 economies.
Furthermore, between 2020 and 2025, low- and lower-middle-income countries secured less than 10% of greenfield investments in strategic growth sectors such as AI infrastructure, semiconductors, and clean energy.
Despite these global headwinds, the World Investment Report 2026 recognized Bangladesh as a leading recipient of greenfield investments among Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Asia.
Ashik Chowdhury emphasized that investment impact should not be evaluated solely by dollar amounts, but also by job creation and production capacity.
"A $100 million investment in Bangladesh that creates 50,000 jobs can have a far greater developmental impact than a $1 billion project elsewhere," he noted.
In a separate session at the forum, Invest Bangladesh presented investment prospects in key sectors—including infrastructure and manufacturing—to an audience of nearly 100 institutional investors, international financiers, and representatives from global investment promotion agencies.
Nahian Rahman Rochi, executive member for Investment Promotion at Invest Bangladesh, delivered a presentation highlighting the country's vibrant young workforce and growing domestic market.
He outlined opportunities in solar energy, LNG infrastructure, proposed free trade zones, high-tech textiles, electronics, and medical equipment.
"Investors asked how they could participate in the projects we presented," said Rochi.
"Partners showed keen interest in opportunities within economic zones, ports, and dry docks. These investments can fulfill Bangladesh's rising domestic demand while boosting regional trade. We will continue discussions with interested parties to define how they can participate and how we can support them."
Alongside the main sessions, the Invest Bangladesh delegation held bilateral meetings with potential investors to advance project-specific discussions based on investor interests and project requirements.