IFC Promotes Research on Country’s Investment Climate — IFC's Bangladesh Investment Climate Fund launched a grant program to conduct research into the country's investment climate issues, the Financial Express reports. In the first round of the program, six proposals out of 66 submissions were selected for funding. Related story, New Age. More details available on our blog.
IFC Program Builds Awareness of Competition Law Policy — IFC's Bangladesh Investment Climate Fund organized a workshop to emphasize the need for fair trade practices and to build awareness for the proper implementation of a competition policy in Bangladesh, the Financial Express reports. WBG competition policy advisor Shyam Khemani explained that good policy enables fair market prices, minimizes price fluctuations, and prevents businesses from engaging in unfair practices. The event highlighted that an effective implementation of such a policy will bring improvement in management efficiency and encourage the production of a greater variety of affordable goods and services. Related story, New Nation.
IFC Helps Launch Group to Promote Investment Climate Reforms — IFC helped launch the Regulatory Reform Core Group to find solutions to investment barriers and their impact on foreign companies in Bangladesh, BDNews24 reports. The RRCG will review relevant laws and assist the Regulatory Reforms Commission in making reform recommendations.
IFC Presents Report on Feasibility of Economic Zone Site — IFC’s Bangladesh Investment Climate Fund, at a launch event for a report on special economic zones, also presented its pre-feasibility study report for the Sylhet Economic Zone, the Daily Star reports. The pre-feasibility study recommended establishing the SEZ at an alternative site, as the current site lacked a favorable return on investment due to high development costs and might not attract sufficient interest from public-private partnerships. Related story, New Age.
IFC Advocates Public-Private Partnerships to Promote Sustainable Growth — IFC is bringing together government and private sector representatives to discuss and highlight the potential benefits of public-private partnerships as they relate to economic zones, the Daily Ittefaq reports. In a capital-constrained emerging market economy such as Bangladesh, PPPs are of particular importance as they can help Bangladesh to achieve sustainable economic growth.