Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked the global investors to invest in country’s non-conventional potential areas.
She was addressing the Country Strategy Dialogue (CSD) on Bangladesh at the India Economic Summit 2019 of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in New Delhi.
“It’s time for global investors, particularly the Indian entrepreneurs, to invest in Bangladesh beyond the conventional menu in areas like education, light-engineering, electronics etc,” she said.
She said that the country was moving fast to a high-value, knowledge-intensive society, beyond apparel manufacturing.
“Last year Bangladesh exported 12 industrial robots to Korea while four ships made in Bangladesh have come to India,” Hasina said.
“Recently, Reliance purchased a large number of refrigerators made in Bangladesh,” the PM further said.
“Bangladesh also has 600,000 IT freelancers – the largest freelancing community,” she added.
Hasina further informed that the country offers the most liberal investment regime in South Asia – in terms of the legal protection of foreign investment, generous fiscal incentives, concession on machinery import etc.
“Bangladesh is establishing 100 Special Economic Zones, with one-stop service across the country,” Hasina further said.
“12 such Zones are already functioning while two are reserved for Indian investors,” the PM added.
Speaking further the Bangladeshi PM also informed that a number of high-tech parks are also ready for technology and innovative enterprises.
Adding further the Prime Minister said, “Between Eastern and Northeast India, China on the west and South-East Asia, Bangladesh deserves the attention of global and Indian business as a seamless economic space.”
She further said Bangladesh can serve as the economic hub for the sub-region.
“Beyond our own 162 million people, Bangladesh can be the connecting landmass to a combined market of nearly 3 billion people,” Hasina added.
She also informed that by 2030 around 48 per cent of the country’s population will live in towns and cities.