Bangladesh to host inaugural trade-investment conference in June

Bangladesh is set to host its first Trade and Investment Conference 2026 next month, aiming to strengthen economic resilience and attract greater foreign investment ahead of the country’s graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Sunday chaired a high-level preparatory meeting for the conference, which is scheduled to take place on June 13 at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka, according to a Foreign Ministry press release issued on Monday.

The conference is being jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) under the theme “Navigating Risks – Unlocking Resilience”.

The daylong event will bring together senior government ministers and advisers, heads of mission accredited to Dhaka, representatives of multilateral development institutions, business leaders and private sector stakeholders.

The conference will feature plenary discussions and roundtable sessions on trade and investment policy, financing and capital mobilisation, market access, industrial competitiveness, artificial intelligence, creative industries and sports.

The foreign ministry said that the initiative comes at a critical time as Bangladesh prepares to graduate from LDC status in November 2026 while advancing negotiations on several bilateral trade and investment agreements.

The conference is also expected to focus on enhancing foreign direct investment and strengthening the country’s economic resilience amid evolving global economic challenges.

Around 350 delegates are expected to participate in the event.