Written by The Banking Post
Despite progress in cutting red tape and approving investment proposals, weak implementation of digitisation and poor inter-agency coordination continue to slow trade efficiency and investment execution, senior officials said after a high-level government review.
The concerns were raised at the seventh meeting of the Investment Coordination Committee, held on Thursday at the chief adviser’s office in Tejgaon, where policymakers assessed ongoing reforms aimed at easing bureaucratic bottlenecks and ensuring that approved investments translate into activity on the ground.
“Efficiency gains from better processes are immediate and tangible, but weak implementation is diluting the impact of recent reforms,” said the committee chair, noting that while external challenges such as tariffs and market access lie largely outside Bangladesh’s control, internal execution remains firmly within the government’s reach.
The meeting brought together the executive heads of investment-promotion agencies, the central bank governor, the Chittagong Port Authority chairman, and senior officials from key ministries. They reviewed proposals to expand pre-arrival customs clearance, introduce a unified online business start-up package, roll out 24/7 digital payment services at Chittagong port, and implement a fully automated bond management system. A multi-agency mechanism to track whether approved investment proposals are actually implemented was also discussed.
The committee acknowledged notable gains from better coordination. The National Single Window has eliminated an estimated 1.2 million physical visits to government offices in recent months. Automated truck entry at Chittagong port has cut entry times by about 90 percent, while digital tracking and cashless payments have improved transparency. Investment agencies are now jointly tracking project pipelines, resulting in a record number of land-lease agreements following outreach missions to China, Turkey and South Korea.
However, officials expressed concern that some offices continue to run parallel manual processes despite having digital systems in place, citing weak monitoring and limited attention to user experience. The Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training was cited as a positive example, with a fully digital application and payment system supported by on-site help desks. A similar “agent desk” has been introduced at Chittagong port to assist users transitioning to online services.
Looking ahead, the committee identified priority actions, including the launch of the first phase of the Bangladesh Business Portal and a pilot of the Automated Risk Management System at Chittagong Customs House to reduce physical inspections.
“The rules are already in place. What is missing is disciplined implementation,” the committee chair said, adding that it was unacceptable for less than 5 percent of cargo to be pre-cleared when the figure should exceed 50 percent.
While participants welcomed the committee’s data-driven and follow-up-focused approach as a shift from past practice, they cautioned that sustained pressure and accountability will be essential to close remaining gaps in digitisation and inter-agency cooperation.
