DHAKA, Aug 4, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh's recent business-friendly policy reforms are strengthening its appeal as a foreign investment destination, with further regulatory changes expected to accelerate foreign direct investment (FDI) once investor confidence gathers pace, Robi’s Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Shahed Alam here today.

He said Bangladesh remains a good destination for investment, citing the country's significant business opportunities and the government's ongoing policy reforms aimed at making the business environment more investor-friendly while replying to a query at a media briefing.

Mobile phone operator Robi, which majority shareholder is Axiata Group Berhad, based in Malaysia, organized the briefing titled "Five Years in the Stock Market: Governance Excellence Driving Performance" marking its five year in the Dhaka Stock Exchange.
 
Shahed Alam said Robi had also conveyed to the Prime Minister and the government that several additional policy changes were needed in the near term. If those reforms are implemented, Bangladesh could see a faster inflow of foreign direct investment, he said.

"Confidence building takes a little time," he said, adding that once investors gain greater confidence in the market, the country would be in a stronger position to attract more overseas investment.

Shahed Alam said the experience of foreign companies already operating in Bangladesh is closely watched by prospective investors, as the challenges they encounter in conducting business often shape perceptions of the country's investment climate.

He, however, said the business environment is improving gradually, noting that several obstacles identified in doing business are being addressed and that approval processes have become much faster than in the past.

While expressing optimism over stronger FDI inflows, Shahed Alam said foreign investment decisions are generally made over a longer period and, as a result, the impact of recent policy changes may not be reflected immediately.

The full effect would become visible over time, he added.

Responding to another query on a World Bank report on internet speeds, Shahed Alam said network performance should not be attributed to any single operator or a specific piece of infrastructure, arguing that overall internet quality depends on a combination of policy, fibre connectivity, site density, devices and spectrum availability.

He said Bangladesh has lagged partly because of past policy barriers and insufficient backhaul fibre infrastructure, describing fibre as the most critical component for delivering high-speed internet services to both mobile and internet service providers.

Shahed Alam said Robi is working with the government and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to strengthen the country's fibre network.

He said the government's Fibre Bank initiative and the issuance of additional licences to expand fibre infrastructure are expected to improve network capacity.

Once the fibre network is further developed, internet performance would continue to improve, he said, noting that average speeds have increased to around 14 Mbps from about 4 Mbps previously.

In Dhaka, Chattogram and other major cities, users are already receiving speeds exceeding 20 Mbps in many areas, while 5G services are available in many parts of the capital for customers with compatible handsets.

He said handset capability also plays an important role in determining internet speed and international rankings, which also take into account fibre density and spectrum holdings.

Bangladesh has increased its spectrum holdings by nearly four times over the past five years, he said, while adding that operators continue to require additional spectrum.

Shahed Alam said the industry expects the government to allocate 900 MHz spectrum in the near future and 3.5 GHz spectrum next year or the following year.

Greater spectrum availability would further improve the country's internet performance and global ranking, he added.