NRBs may invest $2.28b in various sectors

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Doulot Akter Mala
The Board of Investment (BoI) has said the country might attract investment worth nearly US$ 2.28 billion in different sectors from the Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs).
The BoI has signed 36 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the NRBs of Toronto in Canada, Birmingham and London in UK, Cologne in Germany.
"During a visit in those places to attract foreign direct investment we have found a large number of Bangladeshi residents with idle money," said Nazrul Islam, executive chairman of the BoI.
A BoI team visited those countries from May 26 to June 6 to invite the NRBs for making investment in the country.
The BoI will open a NRB cell in a couple of days to follow-up the MoUs.
The BoI chief said the Bangladeshis are interested to invest in waste treatment plant, information communication and technology, agro-based industry, power and energy sector, automobile, solar power etc.
The NRBs in Canada have expressed their interest to invest $600 million followed by Birmingham $ 1.50 million, London $930 million and Germany $753 million.
The BoI organised seminars in those four cities and signed MoUs with them.
"The NRBs asked us about the investment climate of the country and how long the present stable situation will persist," he said.
"We have assured them that the present government is running its activities with the public support, so there is no scope for deterioration of the political situation," he said.
The BoI will provide all possible help for getting the utility services for their projects, he said.
"If the NRBs want we might offer them an exclusive area in the special economic zone, which will be constructed with the financial help of the World Bank (WB)," he said.