Bida survey seeks to build unified national investment database

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, with support from the Asian Development Bank and the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling, has launched a nationwide industry survey aimed at creating a unified investment database and pinpointing regional opportunities and obstacles.

The initiative was outlined at a divisional workshop at Silver Castle Resort in Mymensingh on Wednesday (22 July). Attendees included government officials, private-sector leaders, investors and local stakeholders from the division.

The workshop introduced the Survey of Industries in Bangladesh, detailing its scope and objectives, and reviewed potential investment sectors and regional challenges. Stakeholders were urged to verify the accuracy of collected data.

Dr Selim Raihan, Executive Director of the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling and Professor of Economics at the University of Dhaka, said the survey would identify key barriers facing investors, recommend practical solutions, and develop a database to support evidence-based policymaking.

He emphasised the need for close collaboration among government agencies, non-governmental organisations and private investors to achieve the survey's objectives.

Tasnim Alam, Public Sector Economist at the Asian Development Bank, discussed the economic challenges of Bangladesh's impending graduation from the least developed country category.

He said seeking a deferral of the graduation timeline was necessary, warning that proceeding without adequate preparation could cost Bangladesh key trade privileges and create long-term economic risks.

He added that Bangladesh urgently needed to attract higher levels of foreign direct investment to address these challenges.

Tasnim Alam also highlighted the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority's efforts to expand investment engagement while addressing the lack of a centralised database. He said the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling had been tasked with conducting a nationwide census and urged businesses and stakeholders to provide accurate information.

Director General Gazi AKM Fazlul Haque of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority said incomplete industry data made it difficult for policymakers to obtain a comprehensive picture of domestic investment.

He said the survey would assess both domestic and foreign investment and pursue two main objectives: collecting reliable investment data and identifying regional products and sectors with strong export potential, including agriculture and manufactured goods.

Divisional Commissioner SM Humayun Kabir Sarkar of Mymensingh Division said agriculture remained central to the regional economy and the survey could help transform it into a more structured industrial sector.

He added that participation in the survey would help local industries identify and address resource constraints and policy barriers, supporting industrial growth in Mymensingh.

Executive Member Md Humayun Kabir of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority said the government planned to bring the authority and four other investment promotion agencies under a single platform to centralise investment-related information and services.

He said industries typically engaged with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority at the initial stage of an investment, but follow-up data remained inadequate. Restructuring the database was therefore essential to make investment information accessible through the authority's One Stop Service.

He said the Asian Development Bank is financing the initiative, while the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling is implementing the survey.

Md Humayun Kabir said the survey aimed to help raise regional living standards, generate employment and accelerate economic growth. He urged investors to provide accurate information so the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority could prepare an informed investment roadmap.

Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md Saifur Rahman of Mymensingh District said investment in the region remained concentrated in a limited number of industries.

He identified information technology, leather, cattle farming and food processing as sectors with significant untapped potential.

He said Mymensingh produces large surpluses of fruits, including jackfruit and pineapple, but a shortage of major domestic and foreign investors has constrained processing and export opportunities.

During the technical session, Dr Selim Raihan and Programme Director Zubayer Hossen of the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling presented a paper titled "Survey of Industries in Bangladesh: Scope, Methods, and Stakeholder Cooperation".

Dr Selim Raihan said simultaneous changes in Bangladesh's energy sector, technological landscape and broader economy had created an urgent need for a comprehensive, centralised investment database.

He identified fragmented records, duplication of data, a weak evidence base and limited institutional capacity as major constraints.

The proposed unified investment information system will be integrated with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority's One Stop Service portal to strengthen investment promotion and support evidence-based policymaking.

The survey has five main areas of focus: data collection, verification, database standardisation, analytical reporting and policy briefs, and preparation of a national investment compendium.

Zubayer Hossen said the survey covers major economic sectors, business types and ownership structures across all eight administrative divisions. He added that similar stakeholder workshops would be held in each division to support coordination.

During an open discussion, participants examined Mymensingh's industrial landscape and discussed opportunities in cattle farming, fisheries, agro-ecotourism, agro-processing and value addition in the rice sector.

Participants also raised operational challenges, including the need for stronger industrial infrastructure and targeted investment support at the Jamalpur Economic Zone.