In a remarkable turn of events, Bangladesh has experienced a staggering increase in net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the third quarter of 2025, showcasing a growing sense of investor trust, even amidst global economic uncertainties.
According to data released by Bangladesh Bank, the net FDI inflow between July and September soared to $315.09 million. This impressive figure represents a striking 202% rise compared to the same period last year, which recorded an influx of only $104.33 million in 2024.
When looking at the cumulative net FDI for the period from January to September 2025, the total reached $1.41 billion, illustrating an 80% increase from the $780 million that was reported during the equivalent timeframe in the previous year.
Notably, all primary components of FDI exhibited substantial growth during the third quarter. Equity investments climbed to $101.12 million, up from $76.79 million a year prior. Meanwhile, reinvested earnings saw a remarkable surge, nearly tripling to $211.47 million from just $72.90 million the previous year. Additionally, intra-company loans also made a positive shift, moving from a negative $45.36 million to a positive $2.49 million.
The strong performance in the third quarter builds on the foundation laid during the first half of 2025, which already showcased promising results. In the second quarter (April to June), net FDI was reported at $303.27 million, reflecting an 11.4% increase from $272.22 million in the same quarter of the previous year. Overall, net FDI for the first half of 2025 increased by more than 61% when compared to the first half of 2024.
Ashik Chowdhury, the executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida), emphasized the organization’s commitment to enhancing the business environment and developing a reliable investment pipeline. He expressed satisfaction with the conversion of these plans into tangible investment inflows.
"While we anticipate some slowdown in Q4 due to the upcoming elections," Chowdhury stated, "we are optimistic about a rebound thereafter, driven by a strong investment pipeline."
He further highlighted that Bida's dedicated investment pipeline for 2025 has already surpassed $1.5 billion, in addition to the traditionally registered proposals. This signals a sustained optimism among investors, which could lead to even greater economic growth in the future.
