In a landmark development for Bangladesh’s foreign investment landscape, the country is set to host a major investment and trade conference with China on June 1, 2025. Organized under the joint initiative of the governments of Bangladesh and China, the day-long event is expected to open a new chapter in bilateral economic cooperation.
This high-profile conference will bring together around 250 investors and business leaders from approximately 100 Chinese companies, making it the largest-ever single-nation investor delegation to visit Bangladesh at one time.
The announcement was made on Monday (May 26) by Ashik Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), through a Facebook post. Chowdhury described the upcoming conference as a “historic opportunity” for Bangladesh to showcase its investment potential to some of China’s leading industrial players.
Fortune 500 Presence
According to Chowdhury, the Chinese delegation will include top executives from six to seven Fortune 500-listed companies — a remarkable show of interest from global business giants in Bangladesh’s emerging economy. The presence of these influential corporations signals growing international confidence in the country’s market stability, labor competitiveness, and growth trajectory.
In addition to corporate leaders, the conference will also host senior representatives from four prominent Chinese Chambers of Commerce. Their participation is expected to facilitate broader networking and long-term institutional engagement between the two countries’ private sectors.
Chinese Commerce Minister to Lead Delegation
Significantly, the visiting delegation will be led by none other than China’s Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao — a move that underscores the strategic importance Beijing places on strengthening economic ties with Dhaka.
“This is the first time so many investors and businessmen from one country are visiting Bangladesh simultaneously,” said Ashik Chowdhury in his post. “The fact that the Chinese Commerce Minister himself is leading the delegation highlights the seriousness of this initiative.”
According to BIDA officials, the conference will include business-to-business (B2B) sessions, investment matchmaking, and policy dialogue between government officials and private sector leaders. Key sectors expected to feature in the discussions include infrastructure, textiles, electronics, renewable energy, manufacturing, and digital technologies.
Boosting Bilateral Trade and Investment
China is already one of Bangladesh’s largest trading partners and an increasingly important source of foreign direct investment (FDI). According to official data, bilateral trade between the two countries crossed USD 25 billion in 2024, with Bangladesh benefiting from duty-free access to Chinese markets for 98% of its exportable products under the LDC preferential scheme.
However, the trade balance remains heavily tilted in China’s favor, with Bangladesh seeking greater investment in export-oriented sectors to help close the gap. The upcoming conference is expected to be a step toward not only attracting new capital but also promoting industrial diversification, technology transfer, and employment generation.
“Chinese investment has enormous potential to complement Bangladesh’s development priorities, especially in infrastructure and manufacturing,” said Dr. Nazneen Ahmed, a senior economist and former country economist at UNDP Bangladesh. “A focused conference like this can help convert that potential into actual investment deals.”
Strategic Timing
The timing of the event is also significant. Bangladesh is currently preparing to graduate from the United Nations list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by 2026, which will alter its access to preferential trade arrangements. In this context, the country is aggressively pursuing foreign investment to build economic resilience and competitiveness in a post-LDC environment.
Moreover, the government’s ‘Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041’ and its ambitious plans for digital and industrial transformation require significant inflows of foreign capital and expertise.
The conference is being seen as an opportunity for Bangladesh to position itself as a strategic investment hub in South Asia, offering access not only to a domestic market of over 170 million people but also to neighboring regional markets such as India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
High Expectations
While expectations are high, experts warn that converting investor interest into tangible projects will depend on how effectively Bangladesh can address structural bottlenecks such as bureaucratic red tape, infrastructure deficits, and regulatory unpredictability.
“Bangladesh must ensure that its investment climate continues to improve,” said Farzana Rahman, a policy analyst at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). “Simplifying procedures, ensuring policy consistency, and protecting investor rights are crucial for building long-term confidence.”
Nonetheless, the sheer scale of participation and the presence of high-level Chinese stakeholders are already being regarded as a major diplomatic and economic achievement.
BIDA has indicated that follow-up mechanisms will be put in place to track progress on the discussions and proposals that emerge from the conference. Several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the event.
Looking Ahead
As Bangladesh prepares to welcome hundreds of Chinese investors in the first week of June, policymakers, economists, and business leaders are watching closely. The outcomes of this unprecedented gathering could shape the trajectory of Bangladesh’s economic engagement with China for years to come.
In a landmark development for Bangladesh’s foreign investment landscape, the country is set to host a major investment and trade conference with China on June 1, 2025. Organized under the joint initiative of the governments of Bangladesh and China, the day-long event is expected to open a new chapter in bilateral economic cooperation.
This high-profile conference will bring together around 250 investors and business leaders from approximately 100 Chinese companies, making it the largest-ever single-nation investor delegation to visit Bangladesh at one time.
The announcement was made on Monday (May 26) by Ashik Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), through a Facebook post. Chowdhury described the upcoming conference as a “historic opportunity” for Bangladesh to showcase its investment potential to some of China’s leading industrial players.
Fortune 500 Presence
According to Chowdhury, the Chinese delegation will include top executives from six to seven Fortune 500-listed companies — a remarkable show of interest from global business giants in Bangladesh’s emerging economy. The presence of these influential corporations signals growing international confidence in the country’s market stability, labor competitiveness, and growth trajectory.
In addition to corporate leaders, the conference will also host senior representatives from four prominent Chinese Chambers of Commerce. Their participation is expected to facilitate broader networking and long-term institutional engagement between the two countries’ private sectors.
Chinese Commerce Minister to Lead Delegation
Significantly, the visiting delegation will be led by none other than China’s Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao — a move that underscores the strategic importance Beijing places on strengthening economic ties with Dhaka.
“This is the first time so many investors and businessmen from one country are visiting Bangladesh simultaneously,” said Ashik Chowdhury in his post. “The fact that the Chinese Commerce Minister himself is leading the delegation highlights the seriousness of this initiative.”
According to BIDA officials, the conference will include business-to-business (B2B) sessions, investment matchmaking, and policy dialogue between government officials and private sector leaders. Key sectors expected to feature in the discussions include infrastructure, textiles, electronics, renewable energy, manufacturing, and digital technologies.
Boosting Bilateral Trade and Investment
China is already one of Bangladesh’s largest trading partners and an increasingly important source of foreign direct investment (FDI). According to official data, bilateral trade between the two countries crossed USD 25 billion in 2024, with Bangladesh benefiting from duty-free access to Chinese markets for 98% of its exportable products under the LDC preferential scheme.
However, the trade balance remains heavily tilted in China’s favor, with Bangladesh seeking greater investment in export-oriented sectors to help close the gap. The upcoming conference is expected to be a step toward not only attracting new capital but also promoting industrial diversification, technology transfer, and employment generation.
“Chinese investment has enormous potential to complement Bangladesh’s development priorities, especially in infrastructure and manufacturing,” said Dr. Nazneen Ahmed, a senior economist and former country economist at UNDP Bangladesh. “A focused conference like this can help convert that potential into actual investment deals.”
Strategic Timing
The timing of the event is also significant. Bangladesh is currently preparing to graduate from the United Nations list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by 2026, which will alter its access to preferential trade arrangements. In this context, the country is aggressively pursuing foreign investment to build economic resilience and competitiveness in a post-LDC environment.
Moreover, the government’s ‘Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041’ and its ambitious plans for digital and industrial transformation require significant inflows of foreign capital and expertise.
The conference is being seen as an opportunity for Bangladesh to position itself as a strategic investment hub in South Asia, offering access not only to a domestic market of over 170 million people but also to neighboring regional markets such as India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
High Expectations
While expectations are high, experts warn that converting investor interest into tangible projects will depend on how effectively Bangladesh can address structural bottlenecks such as bureaucratic red tape, infrastructure deficits, and regulatory unpredictability.
“Bangladesh must ensure that its investment climate continues to improve,” said Farzana Rahman, a policy analyst at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). “Simplifying procedures, ensuring policy consistency, and protecting investor rights are crucial for building long-term confidence.”
Nonetheless, the sheer scale of participation and the presence of high-level Chinese stakeholders are already being regarded as a major diplomatic and economic achievement.
BIDA has indicated that follow-up mechanisms will be put in place to track progress on the discussions and proposals that emerge from the conference. Several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the event.
Looking Ahead
As Bangladesh prepares to welcome hundreds of Chinese investors in the first week of June, policymakers, economists, and business leaders are watching closely. The outcomes of this unprecedented gathering could shape the trajectory of Bangladesh’s economic engagement with China for years to come.
