Prominent Turkish industrial groups have shown significant enthusiasm for investing in Bangladesh. This sentiment was communicated during a prestigious investment seminar called “Gateway to Growth: Invest in Bangladesh,” which was hosted by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) in Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday (October 9), as stated in a press release from BIDA’s Public Relations Department.

The seminar, held at Delta Hotels by Marriott, Levent in Istanbul, was attended by representatives from over 30 Turkish companies—many of which are already investing in Bangladesh or are exploring new investment opportunities. The event was jointly organized by BIDA with technical assistance from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank Group, in collaboration with the Embassy of Bangladesh in Turkey and the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD).

Nahiyan Rahman Rochi, Head of BIDA’s Business Development Division, presented the keynote address. He stated that now is the most opportune time to invest in Bangladesh, as macroeconomic indicators such as exports, currency stability, and inflation are currently very favorable. The government has already undertaken 32 reform initiatives to improve the ease of doing business.

He also shared that BIDA offers full support to new investors—from investment consultation to factory setup—through its One Stop Service (OSS) platform.

Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of BIDA, attended as the chief guest. He held direct discussions with Turkish industrial leaders and responded to questions from interested investors.

Representatives of Turkish companies currently operating in Bangladesh also shared their experiences. Barış Alparslan, CEO of Arçelik, said, “We are committed to strengthening the local supply chain in Bangladesh, building skilled manpower, and investing in long-term growth.”

Erzument Polat, AGM of AygaZ, noted, “With the support of BIDA’s One Stop Service, we were able to expand rapidly. Currently, we employ over 200 staff in Bangladesh, and our distribution network now reaches around 3 million people.”

Other speakers included MÜSİAD board member Muhammet Huzeyfe Güllüoğlu and Bangladesh’s Consul General in Istanbul, Mohammad Mizanur Rahman. They emphasized the importance of strengthening the growing economic cooperation and investment relations between the two countries.

A high-level delegation from BIDA, BEZA, NBR, and the banking sector, led by BIDA’s Executive Chairman Ashiq Chowdhury, participated in the seminar.

It is worth noting that during the Government-to-Business (G2B) meetings held on October 7–8, the Bangladesh delegation discussed potential investments and partnerships in priority sectors with top Turkish industrial groups. In addition, BIDA is establishing long-term cooperation with Turkey’s leading industrial organization TÜRKONFED, aiming to strengthen public-private partnerships between the two countries.