Published: 12:41 AM, 14 June 2026
Bangladesh unveils new roadmap for economic diplomacy
Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman addressed a conference in Dhaka city on Saturday jointly organized by Foreign Ministry and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA). -AA
The Bangladesh government has launched a sweeping diplomatic endeavour aimed at reshaping its international economic relations, signaling to foreign investors and multilateral lenders that it is ready to enact deep structural reforms to protect its position in the global supply chain.
At a high-level summit in Dhaka titled Roadmap for Trade, Growth and Economic Diplomacy: Conference 2026, ministers and policymakers laid out an ambitious blueprint to boost investors' confidence, upgrade digital infrastructure and manage the country's upcoming transition from Least Developed Country (LDC) status.
The conference, jointly convened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), arrives at a critical juncture for the South Asian economy as it navigates global macroeconomic headwinds and seeks to diversify its export base beyond ready-made garments.
In an opening address that set the tone for the forum, Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman-fresh from his election as President-Elect of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)-framed economic diplomacy as the central pillar of Bangladesh's forward-looking foreign policy.
Dr. Khalilur Rahman warned that the country must now compete ever more fiercely against rising trade barriers, high borrowing costs and climate vulnerabilities that disproportionately penalize emerging economies. The strategy focuses on securing preferential market access and drawing foreign direct investment (FDI) into high-value sectors under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's broader policy mandate to stabilize reforms and elevate the economy. Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of BIDA, followed with a detailed investment proposition, pitching a reformed regulatory environment designed to replace administrative bottlenecks with policy predictability.
The institutional weight of the forum was underscored by the presence of country directors and senior representatives from the World Bank Group, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), alongside resident multinational corporations and apex business chambers. The Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir laid emphasis on the sustenance of friendly and cooperative ties between Dhaka and New Delhi for fortifying Bangladesh's foothold in regional trade.
The economic core of the summit centered on fiscal discipline and capital mobilization. During a plenary session led by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury policymakers addressed the urgent need for domestic financial restructuring. Abdur Rahman Khan, Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Barrister Jahrat Adib Chowdhury mapped out plans for comprehensive tax administration reforms and the deployment of advanced digital financial infrastructure to curb capital flight and expand the tax base. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, Local Government and Rural Development Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, domestic and foreign investors, business leaders from Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI), Federation of International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and envoys from different foreign diplomatic missions attended the conference.
>>Bernard Priyam, AA
