Bida, ADB and Sanem hold Sylhet industrial survey workshop

A shortage of reliable industrial data, inadequate financing, poor road connectivity, unreliable electricity and a lack of skilled workers are constraining investment and industrial growth in Sylhet, stakeholders said at a workshop.

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida), in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (Sanem), held the divisional workshop on the Survey of Industries in Bangladesh at Rose View Hotel in Sylhet on Tuesday, 11 August, according to a press release.

Government officials, private-sector representatives, investors and other stakeholders from across Sylhet division attended the workshop.

The event introduced the survey and explained its scope and rationale, while examining potential sectors, investment opportunities and challenges in the division. It also sought stakeholders' cooperation in verifying data collected through the survey.

The Bida-led survey is funded by the ADB, with Sanem providing technical support. It aims to identify the problems faced by investors, develop possible solutions and establish a reliable database to support investment and effective government policymaking.

Sylhet District Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Abdullah Al Mamun chaired the workshop, while Bida Executive Member Md Humayun Kabir attended as chief guest.

Sylhet Division Divisional Commissioner Md Moshiur Rahman and Bida Director General Jibon Krishna Saha Roy attended as special guests. Sylhet Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Lubana Yesmin Shampa was present as guest of honour.

ADB Bangladesh Public Sector Economist Tasnim Alam delivered an address on behalf of the development organisation.

Sanem Executive Director and University of Dhaka Professor of Economics Dr Selim Raihan opened the workshop and presented the background to the survey.

He said the initiative aimed to identify the difficulties faced by investors, work towards addressing them and build a comprehensive database that would support investors and enable the government to formulate effective policies.

Sanem Programme Director Zubayer Hossen outlined the survey's methodology.

He said industries appeared to be heavily concentrated in Dhaka and Chattogram, and the survey would verify the situation through a full census of foreign-owned and joint-venture companies and a representative survey of domestic enterprises.

The survey will develop detailed profiles of enterprises, covering their ownership, sectors, operations and locations.

Tasnim Alam discussed the strategic importance of the survey amid Bangladesh's current economic and political circumstances.

Referring to the country's impending graduation from least developed country (LDC) status, he stressed the need for a clear transition roadmap supported by increased investment.

He also underscored the importance of identifying and using regional economic opportunities, citing the growth potential of Sylhet's tourism sector as a key example.

Substantial private-sector participation would be necessary to maintain long-term economic momentum, he said.

Lubana Yesmin Shampa highlighted several structural challenges facing local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

She said SMEs generally sought to prepare long-term plans covering five years, but their growth was severely constrained by a lack of actionable data to guide strategic decisions.

Shampa expressed concern over a shortage of export-oriented entrepreneurs in Sylhet, particularly among women.

She proposed integrating the agriculture sector with Sylhet's tourism industry as part of efforts to create new economic opportunities.

However, she said the absence of verified regional data continued to obstruct the establishment of new industries. She also pointed to a lack of accessible export officials.

Calling on institutions to operate more reliably, Shampa offered the Sylhet Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry's full support in collecting and consolidating field-level data.

Jibon Krishna Saha Roy said the survey was critical to bridging the information gap created by the absence of a verified national database.

As Bangladesh moves towards becoming a developed country, proactive planning is urgently needed to navigate LDC graduation and the potential loss of duty-free market access, he said.

Saha Roy stressed the need to strengthen Bida's One Stop Service (OSS) further to ensure a seamless investment environment.

He said the survey findings would support a more balanced and equitable distribution of investment while helping to expand Bangladesh's export potential significantly.

Md Moshiur Rahman said the survey differed from conventional studies because it would provide a clear and comprehensive picture of the industrial landscape.

Sylhet has many industries based on locally available raw materials that remain largely unrecognised, he said, adding that the survey would help bring these untapped regional assets to light.

Rahman said the resulting dataset would be valuable in accelerating local economic growth across the Sylhet region and contributing to the broader development of Bangladesh's economy.

Md Humayun Kabir said Bida had historically faced discrepancies in available data, inadequate follow-up after business registration and an incomplete understanding of the actual number of active industries.

He stressed the importance of integrating essential services with Bida's One Stop Service to simplify the business environment.

Kabir also highlighted the need to prepare for LDC graduation, identify new investment opportunities and support the new government's vision through job creation and regional industrial development.

He said Bida was interested in working with Sylhet's SMEs and exploring high-potential areas, including agro-processing zones based on local agricultural production.

The survey data would be crucial to Bida's efforts to formulate effective policies, promote deregulation and bring chambers of commerce under a unified data-reconciliation framework, he said.

Kabir urged all participants to support Sanem by providing accurate information for the survey.

Abdullah Al Mamun said prospective investors frequently encountered major obstacles, including bureaucratic runarounds and a severe shortage of reliable information.

He said even foreign embassies often lacked actionable information on prospective investors entering Bangladesh.

A comprehensive and accessible database was essential to addressing these persistent problems, he said, describing the survey as a timely and practical initiative.

Al Mamun assured the organisers of the district administration's full support and cooperation in facilitating data collection.

An open discussion was held following the presentations, allowing participants to examine Sylhet's industrial landscape and consider possible responses to pressing local challenges.

Participants stressed the need for low-interest loans for agricultural and industrial machinery, as well as financing for export-oriented alternative products, to support local businesses.

Some participants said investment funds were not being disbursed properly and that the region lacked sector-specific investment.

Poor road connectivity between the port and Sylhet was identified as another major obstacle. Participants said it increased transportation costs and made the domestic assembly of products more expensive, limiting opportunities to develop import-substituting industries.

They also said that although Sylhet had several factories, a shortage of skilled local workers was constraining industrial productivity.

Unreliable electricity supply was described as a severe problem, with power shortages frequently preventing factories from maintaining production.

Participants said SMEs also faced significant challenges relating to taxation and value-added tax (VAT).

Among potential areas for future investment, they recommended further development of the fisheries industry.

One participant also proposed establishing a solar energy industry in the region, arguing that electricity could be generated even with Sylhet's comparatively limited sunlight.