Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, will conduct a demonstration of its internet services on April 9 during the Bangladesh Investment Summit. This announcement was made by Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury during a press briefing on March 23 at the Foreign Service Academy. While the demonstration will showcase Starlink’s services, the official commercial launch in Bangladesh will take more time.
The Bangladesh Investment Summit is set to take place from April 7-10 at the Hotel InterContinental Dhaka. Over 550 foreign investors from 50 countries have already registered to attend, along with more than 2,300 Bangladeshi investors, according to BIDA. Chowdhury expressed optimism about the event, estimating a 2-3 percent growth in investments, though he cautioned against expecting a sudden surge.
Instead of focusing on seminars, the summit will emphasize networking and relationship building. Government organizations such as the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the Ministry of Commerce will have dedicated sessions with potential investors. Political representatives will also have separate discussions with investors to foster connections.
The summit will feature prominent business leaders, including Óscar García Maceiras, CEO of Zara Group; Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of DP World; Rosy Winterton, Baroness and UK trade representative; Kyeongsu Lee, Vice President of Samsung C&T; and JunSeok Han, CEO of Giordano, among others. Leading venture capital firms such as B Capital, Gobi, Conjunction, Marubeni, and GFR will also participate, focusing on startup investments and digital economy growth.
Chowdhury highlighted the potential of local and foreign investments to create new jobs, stating, “We want investors to see the genuine picture of Bangladesh, and not offer false hopes.” The summit will feature major delegations, including a 26-member delegation from South Korea, which will visit key industrial sites like Chattogram, Mirsarai, and the Korean EPZ on April 7.
On April 8, leading foreign investors will tour the Japanese Economic Zone in Narayanganj to explore investment opportunities. The day will end with a parallel evening program at the Hotel InterContinental Dhaka.
The main event on April 9 will be officially inaugurated by the Chief Advisor to the Government of Bangladesh, joined by ambassadors, policymakers, and business leaders. The day will feature the Youth Entrepreneurship Expo and a breakout session on renewable energy, hosted by the European Union and UNDP. A cultural event will be organized in the evening, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture.
On April 10, breakout sessions will focus on key investment sectors, including the digital economy, led by Citi NA and UNDP; textiles, in collaboration with HSBC and BGMEA; agriculture and agro-processing, supported by the Dutch Embassy and LCP; and healthcare, featuring insights from Inspira, EBL, and the Sajida Foundation. A matchmaking session will also take place, enabling direct engagement between investors and industry leaders, along with a roundtable discussion on global investment best practices.
Key partners for the event include UNDP, FCDO, Grameenphone, the World Bank, and FICCI, as announced by BIDA.
