Govt steps up economic diplomacy to attract foreign investment: Shama

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Sunday said China, Japan, the United States and several other countries have expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh as the government steps up economic diplomacy to attract more foreign investment.

"Many investors are already contacting the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) and working with both Bida and the Commerce Ministry," she told reporters after a closed-door roundtable titled "Roadmap for Trade, Growth and Economic Diplomacy-2026: The Capital Dialogue" at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She said several countries were already in discussions with Bangladesh over potential investments in different sectors.

The roundtable, jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bida under the theme "Navigating Risks �" Unlocking Resilience," focused on trade and investment policy, financing, market access, industrial competitiveness, artificial intelligence, creative industries and sports as Bangladesh prepares for graduation from least developed country (LDC) status.