BIDA launches nationwide survey to build unified investment database

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) has launched a nationwide industry survey to create the country’s first unified investment database, a move aimed at removing policy gaps, improving investor services and attracting more domestic and foreign investment.
The initiative, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and technically assisted by the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM), began its divisional consultations in Khulna on Thursday.
Officials said the survey will map industries across the country, identify investment bottlenecks and generate reliable data to support evidence-based policymaking. The database will be integrated with BIDA’s One Stop Service (OSS) platform, enabling faster and more efficient investment facilitation.
Speaking at the consultation, BIDA Director General Gazi AKM Fazlul Haque said investment decisions have long been hindered by fragmented and inconsistent data. The survey, he said, will help establish a comprehensive investment information system, strengthen investor confidence and support future investment promotion.
Chief guest Sifat Mehnaz, additional divisional commissioner of Khulna, called for industrial expansion beyond divisional headquarters and stressed the need for efficient land use, modern agricultural technology and improved cold storage to curb post-harvest losses.
SANEM Executive Director Dr Selim Raihan said a reliable industrial database is essential for identifying investment constraints and designing effective policies, while ADB Bangladesh Public Sector Economist Tasnim Alam said Bangladesh must improve its business environment and attract greater private investment as it prepares for LDC graduation.
Business leader Tariqul Islam Zaheer highlighted Khulna’s potential in jute, sugar, shipbuilding and cold storage, urging greater adoption of technology and environmentally sustainable industries.
The survey will cover all major economic sectors, firms of all ownership types and all eight administrative divisions, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive national investment information system.