Bangladesh secured $1.8 billion in greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) in logistics between 2019 and 2024, accounting for 4.9% of South Asia’s total, according to a joint study by GlobalData and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

The report, published in June and available on the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority’s website, said the country attracted 10 projects in logistics and warehousing during the period, alongside $185.6 million in FDI in sales and administration linked to the sector.

Major investment announcements include UAE-based Abu Dhabi Ports’ plan to invest $1 billion in a multipurpose terminal under the Bay Terminal project at Chattogram port, and Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk’s $400 million commitment to build a new container terminal at Laldia in Chattogram.

Despite these gains, Bangladesh’s share remains small compared with India, which captured 85% of the 258 logistics FDI projects in South Asia over the same period.

The study noted that rapid shifts in global politics, policy, and technology demand a strategic response. It is recommended that Bangladesh strengthen its logistics and infrastructure to support both international trade and domestic market growth.

It further urged the promotion of green logistics to align with sustainable investment trends and the adoption of smart technologies to reduce inefficiencies such as wastage, excessive documentation, and delays.

Such measures, the report suggested, could help position Bangladesh as a more competitive hub, balancing the challenges of just-in-time and just-in-case supply chain models.