The government has reaffirmed that ensuring energy security for industries is now its highest priority, recognising uninterrupted gas and electricity supplies as critical to sustaining industrial growth, enhancing competitiveness and expanding exports.
Speaking as the chief guest at the BAYLA Future Summit 2026, organised by the Bangladesh Apparel Youth Leaders Alliance (BAYLA) in the capital on Tuesday, Mahdi Amin, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), said reliable energy remains essential for Bangladesh’s long-term economic development.
“ Energy security for industries is now our top priority. Many industries are still facing gas and electricity shortages. We are working on the issue and are committed to resolving these problems within a practical timeframe,” he said.
Mahdi Amin said Bangladesh enjoys three major advantages for attracting investment: a large young workforce, a sizeable domestic market and an elected democratic government capable of ensuring policy continuity and national stability. However, he stressed that these strengths can only be fully leveraged by ensuring energy security, improving port efficiency and lowering the cost of doing business.
He said the government is building a more business-friendly ecosystem by developing new industrial parks, simplifying bonded warehouse facilities, reducing bureaucratic red tape and implementing structural reforms to strengthen transparency, accountability and good governance.
“Our investment will not be confined to bricks and mortar. We want to invest in people through education, healthcare, skills development and capacity building,” he said.
Mahdi Amin also highlighted government initiatives to simplify bonded warehouse procedures, accelerate incentive disbursement, promote technology adoption, expand public-private partnerships (PPPs), attract foreign direct investment (FDI), and introduce supportive policies for genuine exporters and entrepreneurs.
Addressing the summit, Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) Managing Director Nuzhat Anwar urged entrepreneurs, particularly those in the textile and apparel sector, to look beyond bank borrowing and tap the capital market as a sustainable source of long-term financing. She noted that only about one per cent of corporate financing in Bangladesh currently comes through the capital market, indicating significant room for expansion.
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Meanwhile, Anchorless Bangladesh Founder and Managing Partner Rahat Ahmed encouraged family-owned businesses and large conglomerates to establish professionally managed family offices or dedicated investment arms to diversify investments across startups, private equity and other high-growth sectors.
Policy Exchange Bangladesh Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dr M Masrur Reaz presented a six-point roadmap to help Bangladesh achieve US$100 billion in apparel exports.
Describing the ready-made garment (RMG) industry as one of Bangladesh’s greatest economic success stories, he cautioned that heavy dependence on a limited range of products and export markets has created new vulnerabilities.
His six strategic priorities include:
- Strengthening trade facilitation and border management through customs, infrastructure and regulatory reforms;
- Modernising logistics by expanding port capacity, improving multimodal transport and strengthening supply chains;
- Accelerating investment and export diversification, particularly in high-value products, man-made fibre (MMF) manufacturing and new export destinations;
- Adopting a comprehensive national strategy for sustainability and the circular economy;
- Expanding public-private partnerships to accelerate technology adoption and workforce upskilling; and
- Investing in education, vocational training and long-term human capital development to prepare the industry for future demand.
The day-long summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders and next-generation entrepreneurs to discuss the future of Bangladesh’s apparel industry, focusing on competitiveness, technology, investment, capital markets, workforce development and sustainable growth.
Among the speakers were Bangladesh Employers’ Federation President Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, PwC Bangladesh Country Managing Partner Shams Zaman, former BGMEA President Faruque Hassan, along with policymakers, business leaders and young industry professionals.
For the first time, BAYLA also organised a real-life business case competition titled “BAYLA Future Leaders.” More than 100 teams from universities across the country participated, with teams from North South University (NSU), BRAC University, Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) and the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka, reaching the final round.
The prize-giving ceremony was attended by State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobs Hajjaj as the chief guest, while former BGMEA President Faruque Hassan attended as the special guest.