Bangladesh has strong potential to emerge as a regional logistics and industrial hub linking South Asia with Southeast Asia, given its strategic location and large population, said Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Country Representative Kazuiki Kataoka.
“Given its geographic location and population size, Bangladesh has significant potential to become a regional logistics and industrial hub connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia,” he told BSS in a recent interview.
Kataoka said Japan attaches great importance to Bangladesh’s potential as a future growth centre in the region and is continuing its cooperation in infrastructure and industrial development to support that potential.
He pointed to the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B), a joint concept agreed by Japan and Bangladesh, which focuses on the Dhaka-Chattogram-Matarbari corridor to develop industrial and logistics networks.
He said infrastructure projects being implemented with Japanese support, including the Matarbari development and the Jamuna Railway Bridge, would contribute not only to Bangladesh’s economic development but also to stronger regional connectivity.
But infrastructure alone would not be enough to turn Bangladesh into a regional hub, he said.
“It will be important not only to develop domestic infrastructure such as roads, railways, and ports, but also to pursue policy initiatives that facilitate the movement of goods and people across borders with neighbouring countries,” Kataoka said.
He said stronger links between different modes of transport, more efficient logistics services and smoother cross-border movement would help Bangladesh integrate more closely with regional supply chains.
Kataoka also stressed the need for a more predictable, transparent and business-friendly investment environment.
He said companies can sometimes face difficulties when they have to deal with several government agencies separately to resolve a single issue.
As a solution, he suggested introducing a single point of contact that could coordinate with the relevant agencies and follow an investor’s case until it is resolved.
He said the one-stop service system should go beyond simply receiving applications. A stronger case-management system, under which a designated official or office would take responsibility for following a company’s issue through to completion, could make the process easier for investors.
Kataoka also called for further digitalisation of government services. Fully online procedures, where possible, could improve transparency and predictability while reducing the scope for individual discretion, he said.
He said efficient infrastructure, predictable regulations and better coordination among government agencies would make Bangladesh more attractive to Japanese companies looking to expand their regional investment and supply-chain operations.
“If these efforts continue to progress, they are expected to generate broad economic benefits for Bangladesh, including job creation, increased trade, and greater people-to-people exchanges,” he said.
Kataoka said Japan would continue to cooperate with Bangladesh in infrastructure and industrial development, reflecting its interest in Bangladesh’s potential as a future regional growth hub.
He said the successful development of the Dhaka-Chattogram-Matarbari corridor, together with improved connectivity with neighbouring countries, could help strengthen Bangladesh’s position in regional logistics and industrial networks and open up new opportunities for investment and trade.
