Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed has said that the stability of Bangladesh’s macroeconomy and visible progress in ongoing reforms will further boost US investors’ interest in the country.
He made the remarks on Monday (October 13) during a meeting with leaders of the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC. Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur and other senior government officials were also present.
During the discussion, the interim government’s reform agenda was presented to the US business leaders. Later, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed noted that Bangladesh’s economy has shown significant improvement over the past six months since the World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings in April. He emphasised that the government’s reform initiatives would encourage US businesses to expand their operations in the country in the near future.
“During our previous visit, you saw some pressure in the foreign exchange market. Now that market has largely stabilised, foreign currency reserves have increased, and revenue collection has also improved,” he said.
He added that the government has resolved various transactional and payment-related complexities and addressed multiple long-pending applications.
“Our reform initiatives are ongoing, but their results are now visible. This progress is restoring investor confidence. Our US partners have also acknowledged that such improvements would not have been possible without firm policy commitments,” Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed said.
US business leaders at the meeting praised Bangladesh’s steps to enhance transparency and efficiency in the banking and revenue sectors. They also highlighted challenges related to regulatory reforms, tax refunds, and modernisation of the insurance sector.
They noted that such measures would not have been possible without the interim government, and that progress under normal circumstances would have been unlikely.
Salehuddin Ahmed said, “We have already taken these matters into account. These reforms are included in our online policy framework, and within the next three to four months, US businesses will be able to see tangible results.”
He added, “The government is committed to continuing the reform process, and Bangladesh’s economic foundation is now much stronger than before. Our goal is clear—to complete reforms and make Bangladesh an attractive and reliable investment destination for global investors, including those from the United States.”
Government representatives at the meeting also noted that US Chamber leaders praised the interim government for the economy’s rapid recovery under the leadership of Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Professor Muhammad Yunus as Chief Adviser.
The Finance Adviser and Bangladesh Bank Governor are currently in the United States as part of Bangladesh’s participation in the 2025 IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings.