BIDA Undergoes Major Structural Overhaul to Boost Investor Services
The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) is implementing a major structural overhaul to make investor services in Bangladesh easier, faster, and more effective. The organization’s structure has been completely reorganized to align with the phases of the investment process. This reform aims to bring greater clarity to roles and responsibilities, accelerate service delivery, and introduce defined indicators for quality assurance.
This structural reform is a critical component of the government’s declared 32-point Investment Environment Reform Action Plan. Its implementation is expected to position Bangladesh as a more competitive and attractive investment destination for both domestic and foreign investors.
The New Organizational Structure
The new structure is designed to correspond with the Investment Life Cycle. According to this structure, BIDA will consist of five main wings or divisions:
1. Investment Promotion
2. Research & Policy
3. Operations
4. Digital Development
5. Administration
A meeting regarding this new structure was held at BIDA’s Multipurpose Hall on Sunday (November 2nd).
BIDA Chairman’s Statement
In his presidential address at the meeting, BIDA Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury emphasized the specialized nature of the organization:
Ashik Chowdhury said: “BIDA is not like other general government offices. It is a specialized agency whose core responsibility is to respond quickly to the needs of investors. The global investment environment is changing rapidly, and BIDA must keep pace with that change. This structural reform is the result of long-standing advice from our domestic and foreign stakeholders, which we are now turning into reality.”
ey Reforms and Changes
Several significant changes have been introduced under BIDA’s new structural reform, including:
• Executive Member Positions: These positions will now be open to private sector professionals in addition to BIDA’s internal officers, a role previously reserved exclusively for Administration Cadre officers.
• Separation of Units: The Research & Policy branch and the Investment Promotion branch have been established as separate units.
• Support for Expatriates: A special desk is being launched to assist expatriate investors.
• Specialist Hiring: Initiatives have been taken to appoint sector-specific experts and Relationship Managers to aid investment support.
Furthermore, a high-level National Committee is developing a roadmap to create a unified structure by coordinating all investment agencies in the country. This will allow investors to access all necessary services from a single platform instead of dealing with fragmented service systems.
BIDA has already started the implementation process for the new structure. The agency announced that detailed information regarding this framework will be published on BIDA’s website soon.
