Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud bin Harun said the ongoing energy shortage, particularly in gas supply, has become the biggest challenge for investors in Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Thursday during a workshop titled “Investment Flow and Facilities in Bangladesh,” organized by BIDA with participation from journalists. Mahmud noted that resolving the crisis is urgent but cannot be achieved overnight, estimating it may take one and a half to two years even if work begins immediately.

He explained that much of his official time is now spent coordinating with the Ministry of Energy, as renewable energy alone cannot meet industrial electricity demand. Mahmud added that new power stations would still require gas, which current infrastructure cannot adequately supply. He also stated that foreign investment proposals have increased by about 40 percent since last year’s investment summit, though implementation is delayed due to election-related uncertainty and global conflicts affecting fuel supply.

Mahmud further mentioned plans to prioritize domestic investors this year and highlighted upcoming cooperation with China, including economic zones in Anwara and Mongla. He also discussed reforms such as the new “BanglaBiz” one-stop gateway and a unified business identification number to simplify investor services.