Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, executive chairman of BIDA met with Yeo Han-koo, trade minister of South Korea, in Seoul today. Photo: BIDA

DHAKA, Oct 23, 2025 (BSS) - In a significant step towards strengthening 
bilateral economic ties, Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, executive chairman 
of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), has met with Yeo 
Han-koo, trade minister of South Korea, in Seoul to discuss the roadmap for 
finalizing the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Both sides reiterated their commitment to expediting the CEPA negotiations 
ahead of Bangladesh's graduation from the LDC status, recognizing it as a 
timely opportunity to unlock new channels of Korean investment into 
Bangladesh's fast-transforming economy. 

The two leaders engaged in in-depth discussions on enhancing trade, 
investment, and institutional linkages between the two nations, said a press 
release here today.

"South Korea has long been a trusted partner of Bangladesh," said Chowdhury. 
"We are keen to accelerate CEPA finalization, which we believe will be a 
catalytic tool to unlock diversified Korean investment in key sectors such as 
electronics, mobility, renewable energy, textiles, and infrastructure."

Chowdhury also assured Minister Yeo that BIDA is actively addressing 
investors' concerns. "During our visit, we engaged with Korean businesses on 
key enablers and structural bottlenecks," he said.
 
He went on saying, "Many of the issues raised - particularly those related to 
customs, remittance, and taxation are already being tackled through our 32-
Point Investment Climate Reform Agenda, developed in close collaboration with 
the Chief Adviser's Office."

The South Korean Trade Minister, who in his earlier tenure as a World Bank 
official visited Bangladesh several times and remains an ardent supporter of 
the country's development trajectory, welcomed the progress made. 

He reaffirmed Korea's interest in partnering with Bangladesh as it 
transitions into a modern manufacturing and services hub.

The BIDA delegation extended a formal invitation to Minister Yeo to visit 
Bangladesh with a Korean business delegation to witness first-hand the 
significant progress made in infrastructure, digital services, and regulatory 
reforms.

With South Korean FDI stock reaching US$1.56 billion across 150+ companies, 
South Korea is currently the fifth largest foreign investor in Bangladesh. 
South Korea also ranked among the top 10 FDI source economies worldwide, with 
US$49 billion in outbound FDI in 2024, according to UNCTAD's World Investment 
Report 2025.
 
This places South Korea alongside investment powerhouses such as the United 
States, Japan and China.

The Bangladesh delegation led by Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun is in South 
Korea from Oct 20-25 and has hosted a seminar in Seoul with 150+ South Korean 
investors. They also held a series of G2B talks with Korean conglomerates. 
IFC Bangladesh has provided technical cooperation for the tour.