Starting a business in Bangladesh remains difficult due to bureaucratic hurdles, harassment and persistent corruption, said Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun.
He made the remarks while speaking at the inauguration of the 12th National SME Fair at Bangladesh–China Friendship Exhibition Centre in the capital on Sunday.
The BIDA executive chairman said that entrepreneurs still struggle with complicated registration procedures that require visits to multiple government offices – settings where many face misconduct and bribery.
“Business registration is overly complex and requires going from office to office, where entrepreneurs often encounter corruption and harassment,” he said.
Chowdhury stressed that the government is taking steps to address these issues.
“We are working to curb corruption. You can see the ongoing discussions regarding ports and logistics. Ultimately, the government cannot – and will not – compromise on corruption,” he said.
He further said, “If small entrepreneurs face corruption while accessing government services, the entire business model collapses.”
With help from development partners, BIDA is now working to consolidate business registration, bank account opening, and all startup-related government services into one digital platform – accessible through a single website or mobile app.
“Our goal is to launch this system next year. We want to digitise services as much as possible so that entrepreneurs do not need any physical interaction,” he said.
“The idea is simple. You go to a website or app, get the service, and leave – without needing to meet or know anyone. This will significantly reduce corruption,” he added.
Chowdhury also highlighted BIDA’s newly introduced online matchmaking portal, launched last week.
“Foreign investors frequently ask to be connected with local partners, and local investors want links to foreign partners. Managing this manually is very difficult,” he said.
“Now, investors can register on the platform with details about their business, available land, and areas of interest. Foreign investors will be able to find suitable Bangladeshi partners directly,” he added.
