Bussiness Desk

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury has highlighted the need for stronger coordination between BIDA and the Ministry of Home Affairs to create a seamless, secure and investor-friendly environment for foreign professionals and investors in Bangladesh.

He made the remarks at a high-level sensitization session on investment facilitation and security coordination held at BIDA’s Multipurpose Hall in Agargaon’s Biniyog Bhaban on Wednesday.

The event, organised by BIDA in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the TEPP-II project, saw participation from senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Immigration & Passports and relevant security agencies.

“Our partnership with the Ministry of Home Affairs has come a long way, as we share a joint responsibility to ensure a welcoming and enabling environment for foreigners who choose to invest and work in Bangladesh,” Ashik said.

He noted that a significant portion of the work permit ecosystem, including BIDA’s work permit services and the Home Ministry’s security clearance process, has already been digitalised. “We are now actively working to digitalise the visa application process in partnership with the Department of Immigration.”

Emphasising procedural harmony, he said, “It is critical that investors experience a seamless and harmonised process across institutions. When an investor applies for a work permit, there should be no unreasonable disparity between procedures at BIDA, BEZA, or any other investment promotion agency.”

Speaking at the session, Md Delwar Hossain, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, said the ministry has successfully shifted the entire security clearance process online in collaboration with BIDA. “We are now working to transition passport and related services to a fully digital platform as well.”

Md Ariful Haque, Director General of BIDA’s International Investment Promotion Wing, called on field-level officers to consistently share on-ground experiences and challenges so that future policy decisions are better informed and service delivery continues to improve.

Under the new online system for obtaining security clearance against work permits, which officially came into effect on 1 October 2025, foreign investors and expatriate employees must submit applications exclusively through BIDA’s One Stop Service (OSS) Portal. Once submitted, if no objections are raised within 21 working days, clearance will automatically be deemed granted. Failure to submit the application within the specified timeframe will render the permit invalid.

BIDA continues to coordinate closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs to simplify procedures, enhance transparency, and further strengthen Bangladesh’s investment service ecosystem.