Japanese investors upbeat about investment climate in BD

Japanese investors who have stakes in Bangladesh have shared their positive experiences to encourage their peers to invest in the country, reports bdnews24.com.

They underlined the challenges facing Bangladesh but said there are enough advantages for investing in the country which is implementing a major reform package to ease doing business.

"There are a number of challenges, but it's a very thriving country. Once you get off the plane, you will feel that there is a lot of opportunities in the country," said Masahiro Hiraishi, President of Maruhisa, a company that has a factory in Bangladesh and exports clothes to Japan.

He said he relocated his company to Dhaka from China in 2009.

The Japanese investors were speaking at an investment seminar co-organised by the Bangladesh embassy, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority or BIDA, and the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Osaka on Tuesday.

BIDA Executive Chairman Kazi M Aminul Islam asked them to come to Bangladesh, saying it is ready to do whatever is needed to get their investments.

"Bangladesh is a country with 'winning combination' for investors. Those include 'a business-friendly government, competitive skilled workforce, ever expanding infrastructure, improving business climate and friendly and welcoming people," he told the Japanese entrepreneurs.