Saudi Arabia eyes investments in Bangladesh's transport, logistics and maritime sectors

Saudi Arabia has expressed strong interest in expanding investments in Bangladesh's transport, logistics, maritime infrastructure and financial services sectors, while praising the government's efforts to promote private-sector participation and improve the ease of doing business.

The commitment came during a meeting on Wednesday (July 15) at the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) headquarters between BIDA Executive Chairman and PPP Authority CEO Ashik Chowdhury and a Saudi delegation led by Deputy Minister for Transport and Logistics Dr Rumaih Mohammed Al-Rumaih.

Officials from the PPP Authority, BIDA and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) also attended the meeting.

During the discussion, the Saudi deputy minister said Bangladesh's focus on strengthening private-sector participation aligns with Saudi Arabia's long-term development strategy. He noted that the Kingdom is working to establish itself as a global logistics hub and is encouraging leading Saudi companies to expand investments overseas.

He said Saudi firms are keen to explore more investment opportunities in Bangladesh, while assuring support for Bangladeshi companies seeking to expand operations in Saudi Arabia.

The meeting also reviewed the operations of Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) at Patenga Container Terminal of Chattogram Port. The Saudi side highlighted that more than 98 percent of RSGT's workforce in Bangladesh consists of local employees, emphasizing further opportunities in maritime logistics through technology adoption, skills development and terminal modernization.

BIDA Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury said the discussions identified several priority sectors where the interests of both countries converge, particularly in logistics, supply chains—from cold storage to ports—and financial services.

He added that BIDA is already working with several Saudi companies to facilitate investment discussions and unlock Bangladesh's growing business opportunities.

Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation and accelerate mutually beneficial investment projects, building on the positive momentum in bilateral economic relations.