Business Desk:
To further facilitate domestic and foreign investment and make business operations easier, faster and more dynamic, the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with 11 service-providing institutions for integration with its One Stop Service (OSS) portal.
The MoU signing ceremony was held on on Monday (January 19, 2026) morning at BIDA’s conference room in Agargaon, Dhaka.
BIDA Executive Chairman (State Minister rank) Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun attended the event as the chief guest, while Air Commodore (retd) Md. Shaharul Huda, executive member of BIDA, presided over the programme.
The MoUs were signed with four banks and seven city corporations. The banks are Rupali Bank PLC, Dhaka Bank PLC, Bank Asia PLC and Bengal Commercial Bank PLC. The city corporations include Rajshahi, Khulna, Mymensingh, Barishal, Cumilla, Gazipur and Narayanganj City Corporations.
Under the MoUs, the respective banks and city corporations will integrate their systems with BIDA’s online One Stop Service platform. As a result, investors will be able to access services such as opening bank accounts, obtaining trade licences, and receiving various financial and city corporation-related investment services online in a faster, more transparent and hassle-free manner.
Speaking on the occasion, Ashik Chowdhury said BIDA aims to build a system where entrepreneurs from small business owners to large industrialists can access all required government services through a single website and a single login.
“We want to move away from the practice of submitting the same information repeatedly to multiple government offices. Countries that have progressed significantly in attracting investment have ensured data integrity across government agencies, allowing information to be shared seamlessly once it is submitted,” he said.
He added that although the journey towards full digital integration is not easy and will take time, Bangladesh is moving forward with strong commitment.
Emphasising effective implementation of the One Stop Service, he said launching systems alone is not enough; it is equally important to monitor service usage, identify challenges faced by investors and continuously improve service quality through feedback from partner institutions.
He also congratulated the newly onboarded institutions and thanked BIDA officials and employees for their dedicated efforts in implementing the OSS initiative.
BIDA launched its online One Stop Service portal in February 2019 in line with the One Stop Service Act, 2018 and the One Stop Service (Bangladesh Investment Development Authority) Rules, 2020, with the objective of delivering all key investment-related services from a single platform.
Including the 11 institutions signed on Monday, BIDA has so far signed MoUs with 52 institutions. Currently, 142 services from 47 agencies are being delivered through the OSS portal. A total of 215,699 applications have been processed through the system so far, and services from more institutions will be integrated in the near future.
At the event, BIDA Director General Jibon Krishna Saha Roy made a comprehensive presentation on the One Stop Service operations, while Deputy Director Abu Mohammad Nurul Hayat Totul moderated the programme.
