Commerce minister says government will facilitate fresh investment over next five years

MM Rahmatullah: US investors have committed to investing an additional $5 billion in Bangladesh over the next five years, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said, signalling growing confidence in the country’s economic prospects.

The government will take necessary steps to facilitate American investors and create a more favourable environment for US businesses, he said.

The minister made the remarks while speaking at a programme marking the 30th anniversary of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka.

Muktadir said AmCham member companies had already invested more than $5 billion in Bangladesh and contributed over 20 percent of the country’s national tax revenue.

“These figures demonstrate not only the scale of US commercial engagement, but also the confidence US businesses place in the national economy,” he said.

He said Bangladesh wanted to deepen economic ties with the United States by attracting more American companies, technology and expertise.

“I believe the next chapter of Bangladesh-US economic relations can be even more ambitious. We want to see more American companies investing in Bangladesh, bringing more cutting-edge technologies and global expertise into our economy,” the commerce minister said.

Speaking at the event, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen highlighted recent milestones in bilateral economic relations, particularly the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) reached between Bangladesh and the United States earlier this year.

“We should view this not simply as a trade document, but as a framework for the next stage of our economic relationship,” the ambassador said.

According to Christensen, implementation of the ART is expected to lower tariffs, expand market access and strengthen intellectual property protection. It will also promote anti-corruption measures and advance labour and environmental standards, he said.

The US ambassador also emphasised Washington’s interest in expanding its role in Bangladesh’s energy sector.

He said the United States wanted to become Bangladesh’s leading partner in energy investment rather than remain merely a supplier of energy-related products and services.

Christensen pointed to the Bangladesh-US Energy Memorandum of Understanding signed in May, saying it would enable American companies to compete fairly in government procurement processes.

AmCham President Syed Mohammad Kamal, meanwhile, called for a clear and predictable energy roadmap from the government to help businesses make long-term investment decisions.

He said greater predictability in the energy sector would be important for attracting and retaining both domestic and foreign investment.

The announcements and commitments made at the AmCham anniversary event underscore the potential for a broader expansion of Bangladesh-US trade and investment ties, with energy, technology, market access and private-sector investment emerging as key areas for future cooperation.