BIDA, BEZA, PPPA merge to form "Invest Bangladesh"

Bangladesh has ushered in a sweeping overhaul of its investment-governance architecture, formally launching "Invest Bangladesh" -- a unified statutory authority created through the merger of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and the Public-Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) -- after the government issued a gazette notification on Thursday, 20 August, bringing the Invest Bangladesh Act, 2026, into immediate legal effect.

The notification, signed on the president's order by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister A.B.M. Abdus Sattar under the powers conferred by Section 1(2) of the new Act, formally dissolved the three legacy institutions and consolidated their functions under the newly minted authority with effect from 20 August. Nahian Rahman Rochi, former executive member and business development chief of the now-defunct BIDA, confirmed that all operations would henceforth be conducted under the Invest Bangladesh banner, with the authority's organisational structure, wings and teams to be assembled progressively in the weeks ahead. He expressed elation at the culmination of months of painstaking preparation, noting that investors had long clamoured for a single, consolidated front desk to streamline investment-related services -- a demand that ultimately catalysed the amalgamation of the three bodies.

Under the new legislation, Invest Bangladesh will operate as a statutory body headquartered in Dhaka, with provisions enabling it to establish branch offices domestically and liaison offices abroad, subject to government approval. The authority will be governed by a chairman -- who will concurrently serve as chief executive -- alongside seven members, and will assume responsibility for identifying promising investment sectors, promoting both domestic and foreign investment, dismantling bureaucratic obstacles, and coordinating across relevant ministries and government agencies. All existing assets, records, contracts, liabilities and personnel belonging to BIDA, BEZA and PPPA will be transferred wholesale to the new authority.

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Officials are optimistic that this consolidated framework will substantially simplify and integrate services for investors while alleviating the persistent bureaucratic complexities that have historically hampered investment flows, ultimately positioning Invest Bangladesh to play a pivotal role in attracting greater domestic and foreign capital into the country.