The government this week reported tangible progress in streamlining investment and trade processes, citing stronger inter-agency coordination and faster decision-making as key drivers of economic competitiveness.
The updates were shared at the 7th meeting of the Investment Coordination Committee, where senior policymakers and regulators reviewed reforms aimed at cutting bottlenecks, digitising services and speeding up investment execution.
The meeting was held at the Chief Adviser's Office in Tejgaon on Thursday, according to the Chief Adviser's Press Wing on Friday.
"Process improvements can significantly strengthen our competitiveness and directly impact livelihoods," said Special Envoy of the Chief Adviser, Lutfey Siddiqi, who chairs the committee.
"While we have limited control over external factors such as tariffs and market access, we have full control over our own policies and procedures. Efficiency gains here are immediate, tangible, and substantial."
The meeting was attended by Ashik Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of BIDA, BEZA and the PPP Authority; Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan Mansur; Chittagong Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman; along with secretaries and heads of key ministries and agencies.
Among the major proposals discussed were a tenfold increase in pre-arrival customs clearance, a unified online business start-up package, 24-hour digital payment services at Chittagong Port, and a fully automated bond management system.
Officials also agreed on a multi-agency mechanism to ensure approved investment proposals are translated into actual investments.
The committee reviewed several recent coordination successes. The National Single Window (NSW), launched by the National Board of Revenue after years of inter-ministerial delays, has already eliminated an estimated 1.2 million physical visits to government offices in just a few months.
