Staff Correspondent

Welcoming more US investment in Bangladesh, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today said his government has taken steps to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and improve the business climate in the country.

"You have come at the right time here," Prof Yunus said when Chief Executive Officer of the Excelerate Energy, Steven Kobos called on him at the State Guest House Jamuna here.

Kobos, also the chairman of the US-Bangladesh Business Council, hailed the Chief Adviser on assuming the leadership of the interim government, saying it will increase their business confidence in Bangladesh.

"There has been a lot of interest in Bangladesh from American companies since you took over," he said, adding some of the top US companies, including members of the US-Bangladesh Business Council, were excited about business prospects in this South Asian country.

Kobos, also the president of the Excelerate Energy, said his company has planned to invest more in the energy sector and decarbonisation in Bangladesh.

The company wants to scale up and ensure smooth supply of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to Bangladesh, he said.

Excelerate currently has investment in two offshore floating storage and regasification units in Bangladesh, which supply 1.1 billion cubic feet of gas, accounting for some 34 percent of the country's daily gas supply.

During his recent visit to the US, Chief Adviser Prof Yunus spoke at an event of the US-Bangladesh Business Council, invited all its 50 members, including some of the top American multinational firms, to invest in Bangladesh.

In the meeting, Steven Kobos was accompanied by high officials of Excelerate Energy, including Peter Haas, a former US ambassador to Bangladesh who recently joined Excelerate Energy as its Strategic Advisor, Derek Wong and Ramon Wangdi, vice presidents of the company, and Habib Bhuiyan, the country manager.

Lamiya Morshed, senior secretary and the head of SDG Affairs, Ashik Chowdhury, chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), and Saiful Islam, energy secretary, were also present at the meeting.