BIDA introduces new structure to enhance investor experience

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the government's apex investment promotion agency, has undertaken a major internal reform to restructure its organisation in line with the investor lifecycle.

The initiative aims to ensure proactive investor services, clearer roles and responsibilities, measurable key performance indicators (KPIs), and streamlined operations. It forms part of a broader 32-point investment climate reform agenda designed to enhance Bangladesh's competitiveness as a destination for both foreign and domestic investment.

Under the new structure, BIDA has introduced dedicated wings corresponding to the different stages of the investor lifecycle—Investment Promotion for attraction and entry, Research and Policy for policy advocacy, Operations for investor onboarding, expansion and retention, and Digital Development for modernising the investment service ecosystem. The Administration Wing will continue to support cross-cutting institutional functions.

"BIDA will evolve in form and function to meet the demands of a dynamic investment landscape," said Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury. "As a specialised agency, it must go beyond traditional administrative models and demonstrate the responsiveness required to serve today's investors. This has been a long-standing recommendation from our local and foreign stakeholders, and we are finally responding."

Several significant reforms have been introduced under the new structure, including:

• Opening the role of BIDA Executive Member to both private-sector professionals and BIDA officials, previously limited to the administrative cadre;
• Establishment of dedicated branches for Research and Policy, and Investment Promotion;
• Creation of a specialised desk to support diaspora investors; and
• Recruitment of sector specialists and relationship managers to help investors navigate the regulatory landscape.

Meanwhile, a high-powered national committee is working to finalise a roadmap for integrating all Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) under a unified framework. The goal is to reduce fragmentation of resources and services, and establish an investor-friendly system under a single institutional roof.

BIDA has already begun rolling out the new structure and plans to publish detailed information on its website in the coming month.