DHAKA, Sept 2, 2025 (BSS) - The government is set to fully digitize the security clearance process for work permits of foreign investors and expatriates through the online One Stop Service (OSS) portal of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) by mid-September.

The announcement was made at a high-level inter-agency meeting held today at BIDA headquarters in Dhaka, according to a press release.

BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Nasimul Gani and other senior officials.

Ashik Chowdhury described the move as a landmark reform that will bring greater transparency, efficiency, and predictability to this critical investor service.

"I thank all the relevant agencies for moving swiftly to implement these changes. We are now on track to introduce further reforms to work permit and visa services by December," he said.

He also announced that BIDA will initiate regular coordination meetings with agencies involved in the work permit and security clearance process, similar to its ongoing engagements with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Bangladesh Bank.

To support the digitization, documentation requirements have been streamlined in line with the Security Clearance Circular issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Importantly, if an application with all required documents is submitted and the security inspection is not completed within 21 working days, it will be considered as having no objection, and the visa will be extended accordingly.

The BIDA chief further revealed plans to develop an inter-agency interoperable database to facilitate data sharing, track the arrival and stay of foreign nationals, and improve coordination among relevant authorities.

Senior Secretary Nasimul Gani highlighted the need for ongoing coordination and collaboration with BIDA to ensure smooth implementation of the digital security clearance system.

The meeting was also attended by senior representatives from the Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP), security agencies, and other investment promotion bodies.