Singapore’s Charge d’Affaires in Dhaka has given a special message in the ‘Special January, 2026 Edition’ of the “Business in Bangladesh Newsletter” on the occasion of the English New Year.
Dear Readers of Business in Bangladesh,
As 2025 draws to a close, I am pleased to have this opportunity to provide my reflections on my hopes for Bangladesh in the next year and where I think Singapore can be a part of Bangladesh’s journey towards peace, progress and development.
First, 2025 has certainly been a challenging year for Bangladesh from the security perspective. We have witnessed in the last month several disturbing events such the shooting of Sharif Osman Hadi, arson attacks on Daily Star and Prothom Alo and lynching of a minority Hindu that certainly would dampen investor sentiment and confidence. These incidents need to be investigated through an impartial, thorough and transparent investigation which stands up to scrutiny. This will help to restore business confidence.
Second, in 2025, there were commendable efforts made by the interim government to stabilise and reform the banking and financial sectors in Bangladesh, and I hope that this continues in 2026. The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority has also been taking steps to improve the ease of doing business in Bangladesh. I hope that these efforts continue next year so that potential investors from abroad, including ones in Singapore will be encouraged to venture here.
Third, the belated signing of the July Charter in October 2025 (rather than on the anniversary of the July 2024 uprising) epitomised how difficult it was to arrive at a consensus over reforms to bring the country forward. I do hope that the upcoming general elections and referendum on the July Charter scheduled for February 2026 will be an opportunity not just to restore democracy but also to unite and find common ground on the path forward for the country.
Finally, on bilateral relations, Singapore has longstanding friendly and substantive ties with Bangladesh since the establishment of diplomatic relations in February 1972. We look forward to deepening and strengthening our relationship with Bangladesh in 2026 through the possible signing of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement and collaboration in business under the Bangladesh-Singapore Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment. We also hope to support the development of Bangladesh’s civil service capacity through training and scholarships under the Singapore Cooperation Programme. Apart from business and trade, in 2026, we also hope to strengthen our people-to-people links through cultural and educational exchanges.
I wish your readers a Happy New Year in 2026.
