Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (October 23, 2023) urged Swiss entrepreneurs to make investments in Bangladesh to create a mini Switzerland in the South Asian country. Swiss businesses can invest in Bangladesh in the special economic zones (SEZs), she said, adding "We will provide lands (in SEZs) and they can make a mini Switzerland here,” she said. The premier made this call when Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh Reto Siegfried Renggli paid a courtesy call on her at the Prime Minister’s Office. Read: Some Western powers seek to install a puppet government in Bangladesh: PM Hasina tells ALPP meeting Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters after the call on. In response the ambassador said Swiss companies are interested to invest in Bangladesh, said the press secretary. The envoy said the volume of trade between Bangladesh and Switzerland should be increased. He said he will continue to work for further strengthening the bilateral relations and cooperation. The envoy appreciated the economic development of Bangladesh under the leadership of PM Hasina in the last one decade. Read: All enjoy equal religious rights in Bangladesh: PM Hasina tells Hindus celebrating Durga Puja He said that Switzerland would work together with Bangladesh to fight the adverse impact of climate change. PM Hasina said the focus of her government is on the development of rural people of Bangladesh. “The backbone of development is middle class people,” she added. “We are taking many programmes to reduce the extreme poverty rate to zero, at least to one percent,” she added. The prime minister mentioned that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had a vision to “make Bangladesh as the Switzerland of the East”. She recalled that she was with Bangabandhu when he visited Switzerland at the invitation of Swiss government after undergoing surgery in London. Read: PM mourns death of Patuakhali-1 MP Md Shahjahan Mia Talking about connectivity, she said Bangladesh can be a bridge between the East and the West. So, the government is now developing the airports to this end. "We look forward to transforming Bangladesh-Switzerland bilateral relations into a broad-based partnership," she said.The prime minister assured the ambassador of extending all cooperation in discharging his duty in Dhaka. The Swiss envoy handed over the copy of a letter to Sheikh Hasina, which Bangabandhu sent to the Switzerland government in replying to Swiss recognition to Bangladesh as an independent country. Receiving the letter, the prime minister said that the letter will be displayed in the museum. PM's Principal Secretary M. Tofazzel Hossain Miah And Deputy Head of Swiss Mission in Bangladesh Corinne Henchoz Pignani were present.

The progress of setting up Special Economic Zones (SEZ) has slowed down due to complexities in land acquisition and development activities due to the impact of Covid-19. The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) was established by law in 2010, with the aim to establish 100 economic zones by 2030 across the country. Special focus would be given to backward and underdeveloped regions to encourage rapid economic development through diversification of industry, employment, production and export’. The Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in a survey report recently expressed their concern over the slow pace of SEZs project implementation. Read: NBR slaps additional duty on 135 luxury items to discourage import  The organization represents investors from a total of 35 countries. About 90 percent of the total foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country comes from FICCI members. The companies have investments in banking, non-bank financial institutions, cement, ceramics, chemicals, construction, housing, consulting, fast-moving consumer goods, gas-electricity, leather and leather goods, clothing and transportation. According to the FICCI, the government has so far approved 97 zones, comprising 68 public and 29 private economic zones.

Japan eyes three special economic zones (SEZs), including the one at Araihajar, Narayanjanj, to give a big boost to Japanese investment in Bangladesh but things depend on the success of the first one, says Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito. “This (Araihajar EZ) should provide the best possible environment and the best possible incentives for the investors,” he said, adding that a special economic zone is a very important key to invite an increasing number of Japanese companies to invest in Bangladesh.   Ambassador Ito said he has been advocating that Araihajar should be the best possible economic zone in Asia, beating its rivals in countries like Vietnam, Myanmar and the Philippines.  The envoy said they will look into opportunities at Mirsarai under Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar, being developed on a contiguous land of 30,000 acres, and a possible economic zone in Maheshkhali-Matarbari area if Araihajar becomes successful. He shared the plans on the three potential economic zones for the Japanese investors in Bangladesh while responding to questions at a virtual dialogue titled “Bangladesh-Japan Relations: Prognosis for the Future” where he delivered the keynote speech.   Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, hosted the dialogue as part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series.   The opening remarks were delivered by the Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan. The session was chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government. Md Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy, Climate Vulnerable Forum; Hayakawa Yuho, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office; Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; Prof Masaaki Ohashi, Professor, University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo; Manzurul Huq, Columnist, writer and academic; Prof Takahara Akio, Dean, Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo and Ambassador (Retd) Tariq A Karim, Honorary Advisor Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation comprised the panel of discussants. Read: Ambassador Ito sees 5 challenges ahead to elevate Dhaka-Tokyo ties Ambassador Ito said the Economic Zone at Araihajar will be ready for its operation by the end of the next year.

Bangladesh has invited Qatar to benefit from Bangladesh’s growth by investing in its Special Economic Zones.  Bangladesh also thanked the Qatari government for providing free Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladeshi expatriate workers in Qatar.  Read: Biman to run special flights to 5 countries from Apr 17  Outgoing Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Bangladesh Ahmed Bin Mohamed Nasser Al Dehaimi met State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam in his office on Tuesday and discussed these and other issues of mutual interest.  Shahriar underlined that the bilateral ties between the two countries have reached new heights as envisaged by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Emir of Qatar in areas, including energy and power, business, trade and investment.  The State Minister congratulated the Ambassador on the successful completion of his tour of duty in Bangladesh and appreciated him for his efforts to boost the bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Qatar during his tenure. Read:Dhaka for enhanced trade ties with Doha The outgoing envoy praised the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh and conveyed the Qatar government’s eagerness to work more closely with Bangladesh in areas of mutual interests.  He thanked the State Minister for extending his support to him while performing his duties.             

Macro-level policy reforms and strong governance are needed for the successful completion of the targeted Economic Zones in Bangladesh, Chairman of Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) Paban Chowdhury said Tuesday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged Swedish and Spanish investors to invest in Bangladesh’s special economic zones (SEZs) to avail of the opportunities are on offer there.