Bida’s unified business portal set for 30 Sep launch, aims to make investment easy

The government has decided to launch the Bangladesh Business Portal (BBP) by 30 September this year, in a bid to make the country's investment environment more accessible, service-oriented, and digitally integrated.

The decision was finalised at the fourth meeting of the Investment Coordination Committee held on 9 July, chaired by Lutfey Siddiqi, special envoy to the chief adviser on international affairs. 

Earlier, the plan to launch the unified online platform was discussed at the 3rd meeting of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority's (Bida) Governing Board held on 13 April, which was chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.

The initiative led by Bida will serve as an integrated online platform aimed at providing all business, trade, and investment-related services through a single landing page. Once launched, investors will no longer have to visit multiple government offices or websites to access services.

According to Bida, the BBP will initially serve as an information hub. However, over time, it will become fully interoperable by incorporating approval systems, permits, licences, and other services under one digital umbrella.

At the investment coordination meeting, it was further stated that the portal will play a vital role in strategising infrastructure support – including gas, electricity, and port connectivity – particularly within the country's economic zones. 

The government expects the initiative to help build a unified, accessible, and digitally enabled investment-friendly environment.

To implement the BBP, a dedicated budget has been allocated for the development of the portal, and a monitoring team led by Bida Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun will oversee its progress.

Additionally, focal point officers from all relevant investment promotion agencies (IPAs) will conduct periodic review meetings to monitor progress and resolve any emerging issues.

Bida stated that services to be included in the BBP will be identified through consultations with focal points from stakeholder organisations. In addition, recommendations will also be made on development strategies for various economic zones across the country, ensuring promised services such as gas and electricity, and establishing effective connectivity with ports.

Instructions have already been issued to integrate all existing investment-related services into the BBP and ensure interoperability among the various government agencies involved.

The portal is expected to replace the fragmented digital experience that investors currently face, offering a more consolidated and user-friendly service platform.

"We've been working on a One Stop Service (OSS) for a long time," said Chowdhury Ashik. "Investors often complain that despite the promise of digital services, they still have to navigate manual systems and multiple websites. This is frustrating and inefficient."

The BBP will integrate the OSS platforms of Bida, Bepza (Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority), Beza (Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority), the Hi-Tech Park Authority, and Bscic (Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation), allowing investors to access all services from one platform, he said.

Nahian Rahman Rochi, head of Business Development at Bida, said, "Currently, investors have to search across multiple websites to find the services they need, which is troublesome. That's why we're building an integrated platform. Almost every country now has a unified investment portal – like Invest India, Enterprise Singapore, and Vietnam's national system."

According to Bida sources, the BBP will be integrated with the National Board of Revenue's National Single Window (NSW) platform, as well as other existing OSS systems. All remaining manual services are to be digitised and incorporated into the portal within three months of its launch.