Stocks
Bangladesh is the Right Destination for Chinese investment: BSEC Chief
Bangladesh is the right destination for Chinese investment, says Professor Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam, Chairman of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC). He emphasized that the initiatives to attract Chinese investment will yield positive results and significantly contribute to the country’s economic development.
The summit, titled “The Rise of Bengal Tiger: Summit on Trade, Business and Investment Opportunities Between Bangladesh & China,” showcased Bangladesh’s potential to Chinese businesses. Professor Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam highlighted that Chinese businesses are well aware of the opportunities in Bangladesh, noting the presence of 7,000 Chinese companies operating in the country, creating 550,000 jobs, with 25% of investors in Export Processing Zones (EPZ) coming from China.
He further underscored Bangladesh’s impressive GDP growth since 1971, emphasizing that China would benefit from both the local and export markets in Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) facilities in Europe, Canada, and other countries make it an attractive export hub for China, providing access to these markets through Bangladesh.
Incentives for Investment
The chairman detailed the numerous incentives for investment in Bangladesh, including exemptions on import duties, 100% foreign ownership, double taxation treaties with 40 countries, bonded warehouse facilities, and full repatriation of capital and profit. He also mentioned that both China and Bangladesh have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for projects worth over $25 billion, inviting Chinese investors to seize the significant opportunities in Bangladesh.
Growing Sectors
The agro-processing industry in Bangladesh is booming, with agricultural exports growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18% over the last five years, particularly in processed snacks. The global demand for agricultural products is expected to grow by 15% between 2019 and 2028, offering substantial opportunities for Bangladesh’s processed food industry to expand its exports.
Other promising sectors include the jute industry, light engineering, electrical and equipment manufacturing, the automobile industry, and the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, which remains the backbone of Bangladesh’s economy.
Advantages of Doing Business with Bangladesh
Bangladesh is the 8th most populous country in the world with a growing purchasing power and rapid economic growth. The country benefits from various trade agreements, a stable political climate, strategic geographical location, and lower production costs due to reasonable wages. These factors make Bangladesh an attractive destination for trade and business.
Benefits from Investment
Investing in Bangladesh promises fast economic growth, resilience against global volatility, favorable monetary and fiscal policies, and an investment-friendly government. The country also offers no pre-approval requirements for repatriating investments with profit, alongside a resourceful blue economy and a green environment conducive to sustainable development.
In summary, Bangladesh is positioning itself as a prime destination for Chinese investment, offering a range of opportunities across various sectors and a supportive investment climate.
The event was attended by Salman Fazlur Rahman, the Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Advisor; Abul Hasan Mahmud, the Finance Minister; Md. Atiqul Islam, the Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation; Nasrul Hamid, the State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources; Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the State Minister for Post, Telecommunications, and Information Technology; Ahasanul Islam Titu, the State Minister for Commerce; Mohammad Tofazzal Hossain Miah, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister; ambassadors, various institutional and individual investors, and stakeholders.
Other notable speakers at the event included Lokman Hossain Miah, the Executive Chairman of BIDA; Yao Wen, the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh; and investors, industrialists, and businesspeople from China and Bangladesh.
Reviewing the U.S. Stock Markets, the Nasdaq Composite, recorded a decent loss of 1,023 points, reaching a closing value of 16,690 points by the end of the week. Similarly, the S&P 500 index showed a positive trend, losing 240 points to settle at 5,408 points. Meanwhile, DJIA Index experienced a notable hike, adding 1,218 points during the week and concluding at 40,345 points after a week of gaining.
In contrast, Russell 3000 Index saw a loss in week performance, with a slight drop of 141 point to reach 3,077 points by the end of the week.
Moving to Russell 2000 Index, demonstrated a notable lost of 126 points, ending the week at 2,091 points.
In the Outgoing week, the European stock market displayed a mixed performance.
Here is the data on the weekly performance of the European Stock Market, The STOXX Europe 600 index, which is considered a leading benchmark for the European market and covers approximately 90 percent of the market capitalization across 17 countries, reported a loss of 18.49 points to close at 506.56.
The United Kingdom’s FTSE 100, one of the most widely followed indices in Europe, also showed a significant drop, losing 195 points or finishing the session at 8,181.
In Germany, the DAX 30 index, added by 605 points to reach 18,301, while France’s CAC 40 decreased by 278 points to stop at 7,352 at the end of the trading day.
Italy’s FTSE MIB, which covers the top 40 stocks traded on the Milan Stock Exchange, decreased by 1,081 points to 33,291. However, Spain’s IBEX 35, lost by 228 points, to close at 11,173.
A review of South Asian stock markets shows that India’s Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) index BSE Sensex has lost 1,182 points during the week. At the end of the week, the index stood at 82,365 points. On the other hand, the Nifty-50 index of the country’s National Stock Exchange dropped by 383 points last week. At the end of the week, the index stood at 24,852 points.
Pakistan Stock Exchange Index ‘KSE 100’, added 459 points last week. After a week of losing, the index settled at 79,002 points.
On the other hand, The Sri Lankan stock market index loss, and the Colombo Stock Exchange index ‘ASPI’ decreased by 94 points in a week. After a week the index settled at 10,775 points.
Bhutan’s stock market index ‘BSI’ dropped by 9 points hence the index stood at 1,500 points throughout the whole week. Nepal’s ‘NEPSE’ lost 22 points, therefore the index stands at 2,727 points.
Hence Dhaka Stock Exchange: The benchmark index ‘DSEX’ lost by 75.77 points or 1.31 percent, in the outgoing week. At the end of the week, the index stands at 5,728 points.
