Bangladesh, South Korea eye new era of investment cooperation through CEPA

Bangladesh and South Korea are moving closer to a new phase of economic partnership as the two countries accelerate efforts to finalise a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Today (October 23), Ashik Chowdhury, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), held a meeting in Seoul with Yeo Han-koo, South Korea's trade minister, to discuss the roadmap for concluding the proposed CEPA aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to fast-tracking negotiations ahead of Bangladesh's graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status, seeing CEPA as a critical instrument for boosting Korean investment in Bangladesh's rapidly evolving economy.

BIDA, in a press release issued today, confirmed the details of the meeting and stated that the discussions mark a significant step toward deepening Bangladesh–Korea investment cooperation through the timely finalization of CEPA. The visit has been supported by IFC Bangladesh through technical cooperation.

"South Korea has long been a trusted partner of Bangladesh," said , Ashik Chowdhury. "We are keen to accelerate CEPA finalisation, which we believe will serve as a catalytic tool to unlock diversified Korean investment in key sectors such as electronics, mobility, renewable energy, textiles, and infrastructure."

He further noted that BIDA is actively addressing investor concerns raised during discussions with Korean companies. "During our visit, we engaged with Korean businesses on key enablers and structural bottlenecks. Many of the issues — particularly those related to customs, remittance, and taxation — are already being tackled through our 32-Point Investment Climate Reform Agenda, developed in close collaboration with the Chief Adviser's Office," he added.

Minister Yeo Han-koo, who previously worked with the World Bank and has visited Bangladesh multiple times, commended the country's progress and reaffirmed Korea's strong interest in deepening its economic partnership with Bangladesh as it transitions into a modern manufacturing and services hub.

The BIDA delegation also extended an invitation to Minister Yeo to visit Bangladesh with a Korean business delegation to observe the country's rapid advancements in infrastructure, digital services, and regulatory reforms.

South Korea remains one of Bangladesh's most significant investment partners, with an FDI stock of $1.56 billion across more than 150 Korean companies, ranking as Bangladesh's 5th largest foreign investor. Globally, South Korea is among the top 10 FDI source economies, with $49 billion in outbound investment in 2024, according to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2025.

The Bangladesh delegation, led by Ashik Chowdhury, is visiting South Korea from October 20–25. During the trip, BIDA hosted an investment seminar in Seoul attended by over 150 South Korean investors and held a series of government-to-business (G2B) meetings with major Korean conglomerates