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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the MoU signing between Invest Bangladesh and China Railway Construction Corporation
Mongla port-centred economic zone among key priorities; PM Tarique Rahman urges increased Chinese investment in southwestern region
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on economic and infrastructure cooperation has been signed between the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), also known as Invest Bangladesh, and China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), a major Chinese construction and infrastructure company, in the presence of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
The agreement is expected to open new opportunities for Chinese investment in Bangladesh, particularly in the Mongla port-centred economic zone, transport infrastructure, energy, industrialisation and employment generation.
The MoU was signed on Thursday at Mongla Port ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Mongla Port Facilities Expansion and Modernisation Project.
The Chinese delegation was led by CRCC Chairman Dai Hegen. BIDA Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam and Mongla Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral Arif Ahmed Mostafa were also present. On behalf of CRCC, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Chairman Li Chongyang signed the agreement.
Under the MoU, CRCC and its affiliated companies will act as potential investors in the proposed projects, while Invest Bangladesh will coordinate with relevant government agencies to facilitate investment attraction and implementation.
The agreement identifies 14 key areas of cooperation between the two countries. These include establishing a China-Bangladesh Mongla Port Economic Zone, constructing a central bonded warehouse, developing the Dhaka-Chattogram Expressway, waste-to-energy projects, renewable energy, e-waste recycling, rolling stock assembly facilities, inland container depots, port development, freight corridors, construction materials manufacturing, technical and vocational training, overseas employment for skilled workers, consultancy services and investment in state-owned enterprises.
The proposed initiatives are expected to contribute to industrialisation, trade expansion, goods transportation and energy sector development. In particular, the development of industrial facilities, economic zones and logistics infrastructure around Mongla Port could create fresh economic opportunities across the southwestern region, including Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira and Jashore.
The agreement is also aligned with the government's targets of building a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and creating 10 million jobs by 2030 through domestic and foreign investment, infrastructure development and industrialisation.
The initiative also builds on the understanding reached between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the CRCC chairman at the World Economic Forum's Summer Davos 2026 meeting.
Following the signing ceremony, the prime minister held a meeting with the Chinese delegation to discuss expanding investment cooperation in various sectors. During the meeting, he placed particular emphasis on increasing Chinese investment in Bangladesh's southwestern region.
Economic analysts believe that effective implementation of the proposed investments and projects could help transform the area surrounding Mongla Port into a major industrial and commercial hub. The initiatives could also contribute to employment generation, export growth and reducing regional economic disparities.
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/country/1f1d9e41-dcab-61f0-9c8d-f49d180e1aed