Invest Bangladesh begins operations, merging three investment bodies

Bangladesh today replaced its three investment-related authorities with a single new agency, Invest Bangladesh, under a new law. 

The Invest Bangladesh Act, 2026, which came into effect on August 20, dissolved the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and the Public-Private Partnership Authority (PPPA), merging their functions into one national platform under the Prime Minister's Office.

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The creation of the unified authority responds to a longstanding call from investors for a simpler way to engage with the government, according to a press release.

Under the new law, the agency will bring economic zones, free-trade zones and declared industrial areas under an integrated framework while setting clear timelines for licences, approvals and service delivery.

The legislation also establishes streamlined approval routes for public-private partnerships, allows underused state assets to be put to productive use, and consolidates business services onto a single digital platform.

Ashik Chowdhury, chairman of Invest Bangladesh, described the transition as more than an institutional merger.

"It is about organising the government more effectively around the investor," he said.

"By uniting our capabilities, we aim to provide clearer accountability and more coordinated support across the investment journey."

To support this shift, the agency will assist investors in navigating approvals and accessing site locations. It will also continue operating BanglaBiz, the country's single digital platform for investment services.

Additionally, Invest Bangladesh is working to implement a 14-day business licensing framework.

As the government's 180-day commitment period announced in March nears its end, the agency said it will publish a progress report on delivery against those targets before the timeline concludes.