Diplomatic Correspondent: High Commissioner for Pakistan to Bangladesh, Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, paid a visit to Bangladesh Enterprise Institute recently. He was briefed on various research interests of the Institute.

It has been noted that Bangladesh Enterprise Institute is a non-profit, non-political research centre. Established in October 2000, the Institute has established for itself a reputation for excellence in its research and advocacy work focusing on the growth of private enterprise in Bangladesh. The Institute promotes issues of importance to the private sector and seeks to initiate essential measures and influence policy for the development of a market-oriented economy. Through the promotion of sustainable growth in domestic trade, commerce and industry, BEI hopes to address the enormous challenge for Bangladesh in securing a fair share of the global market.

BEI has a particular interest in the support and growth of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), which have the potential to be the engine of economic growth in Bangladesh. BEI also undertakes research and policy advocacy work focusing on the issues of foreign policy and security, particularly those of terrorism impacting Bangladesh and South Asia.

Being conscious of the enormous challenge to securing a fair share for Bangladesh in the global market as well as to address issues of trade and investment promotion, the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) was established under the initiative of some leading business personalities of the country. Salman F. Rahman, Deputy Chairman of the BEXIMCO Group, has been working as the Chairman of the Board of Governors, and Farooq Sobhan, former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador, and past Executive Chairman of the Board of Investment, has been working as the President and Chief Executive of the institute.

The institute is registered with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, Bangladesh, under the Societies Registration Act.

BEI operates out of a modern functional office at House 2, Road 54, Gulshan-2, Dhaka 1212. The office is well equipped with computers, printers, e-mail, fax machine and other secretarial support to service the Institute’s research and administration as well as its other activities.

vision of BEI is to see Bangladesh as an economic powerhouse, self-reliant and integrated with the region , in particular, and the world in general. And their mission is to foster and promote the creation of an enabling environment in Bangladesh, where private enterprises can deliver and sustain robust economic growth for the country and prosperity for the people.