Indian, US businesses signal strong interest in Bangladesh investment

Indian and US business delegations have expressed keen interest in investing in Bangladesh and have proposed measures to strengthen the country's trade infrastructure, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said on Saturday. Speaking after attending a meeting at the Sylhet Metropolitan Police headquarters, Muktadir noted that several Indian entrepreneurs who recently visited Bangladesh have already committed capital to projects in the country. The minister's comments follow a high-level visit by a 14-member delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry, which spent three days in Bangladesh from August 17-19 to assess opportunities for expanding bilateral trade, investment and industrial cooperation. Indian business representatives have specifically flagged the operational status of land ports connecting Bangladesh and India as a critical issue affecting their investment decisions and cost structures. "Indian businesspeople have emphasised that restricted or limited operation of these land ports increases raw material costs for their operations," Muktadir said, signalling that port upgrades and fuller operationalisation could unlock significant bilateral economic activity. The commerce minister's remarks underscore the strategic importance of cross-border trade infrastructure in attracting foreign investment to Bangladesh and strengthening ties with India's industrial sector.