Diplomatic Desk:
Investment cooperation between Bangladesh and Indonesia is deepening. Indonesian investors are showing increasing interest in retail, agriculture and energy sectors in particular.
Indonesian Ambassador to Bangladesh Listiawati recently met with Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Ashiq Chowdhury in Dhaka. The meeting discussed practical ways to further expand the investment partnership between the two countries. Ambassador Listiawati expressed the Indonesian government’s full support for investment-friendly policies in Bangladesh’s economic growth and job creation.
During the meeting, he highlighted the growing confidence of Indonesian investors in Bangladesh. As part of this, the expansion plans of Indonesia’s top retail chain Alfamart in Bangladesh were also mentioned. The company aims to open 50 outlets by the end of 2026 and plans to expand to more than 5,000 outlets in the next 5 to 10 years.
Investment opportunities in the agriculture and energy sectors also gained importance during the discussion. Participants opined that experienced Indonesian investors in these sectors can leverage technology, expertise and sector-specific knowledge in the development process of Bangladesh.
In addition, the priority areas of the 180-day joint action plan of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority were also discussed. Among them, the issue of effectively utilizing unused government resources through PPP (Public-Private Partnership) framework was of particular importance, where Indonesia’s successful experience can be considered as an important guideline for Bangladesh.
