Turkish businesses engage with Bida at 'Gateway to Growth' investment seminar in Istanbul

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) yesterday (9 October) hosted an investment seminar in Istanbul titled 'Gateway to Growth: Invest in Bangladesh', bringing together Turkish businesses, industry leaders, and development partners to explore strategic investment opportunities in Bangladesh.

The high-profile event at Delta Hotels by Marriott, Istanbul Levent drew participation from over 30 Turkish companies actively investing or exploring market entry in Bangladesh, reads a press release.

The seminar was organised in collaboration with the Embassy of Bangladesh in Turkey and the Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association and supported through technical cooperation from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group.

Bida Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun engaged directly with Turkish business leaders through an address and responded to questions from Turkish companies. 

Nahian Rahman Rochi, Head of Business Development at Bida, delivered the keynote presentation, spotlighting investment prospects in textiles, electronics, and renewable energy.

He said, "There has never been a better time to enter Bangladesh."

"Macroeconomic indicators—from exports and currency stability to inflation—are at their most favorable levels in recent years. The government has rolled out 32 targeted reform initiatives to facilitate business entry. And for those exploring Bangladesh for the first time, Bida provides full-spectrum support—from investment advisory to factory setup—through our One Stop Service platform," he added.

Executives from Turkish companies already operating in Bangladesh shared their on-the-ground experiences.

Baris Alparslan, CFO of Arcelik (owner of Singer Bangladesh), highlighted the company's commitment to building a resilient local supply chain and investing in people, skills, and long-term growth.

Ercument Polat, Assistant General Manager (Sales) at Aygaz, spoke about the company's expansion journey in Bangladesh, citing Bida's One Stop Service support, a growing local workforce of over 200 employees, and a nationwide distribution network that now reaches nearly three million people.

The seminar also featured remarks from Muhammet Huzeyfe Gulluoglu, Board Member of MUS?AD, an Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association and Muhammad Mizanur Rahman, Consul General of Bangladesh in Istanbul, both of whom emphasized the growing alignment between the two economies. 

The seminar is part of a broader strategic mission led by Ashik Chowdhury, comprising senior officials from Bida, the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), the National Board of Revenue (NBR), and representatives from the banking sector. 

On 7–8 October, Government-to-Business (G2B) meetings were held with Turkish conglomerates across priority sectors.

Bida is also building long-term partnerships with major Turkish industry bodies to institutionalise private-sector cooperation between Bangladesh and Turkey.