Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said on Saturday that Bangladesh is steadily advancing toward the milestone of becoming a trillion-dollar economy, bolstered by a surge in domestic and foreign investments and the implementation of the government’s long-term strategic development agenda.
Speaking to reporters at Shah Amanat International Airport during his visit to Chattogram, the minister stated that the national budget has been carefully crafted to maximize regional economic potential and aggressively attract capital, noting that the country is currently seeing an uptick in foreign direct investment (FDI), capital market inflows, and interest from international fund managers.
"The budget has been designed primarily for the benefit of Bangladesh, taking into account the unique potential of different regions and identifying ways to utilize those opportunities," he explained.
Emphasizing the strategic importance of the port city, Minister Khosru detailed a series of government initiatives aimed at transforming Chattogram into a premier regional logistics hub.
He announced that the government has finalized plans to establish a 600-acre free zone in Anwara, located across the Karnaphuli River, alongside several major port development projects slated for the region.
Furthermore, the development agenda includes upgrading Shah Amanat International Airport into a major cargo and passenger gateway, establishing a Chinese economic zone, and improving the Laksam railway section to reduce travel time between Dhaka and Chattogram by approximately two hours.
"If these initiatives are implemented, the economic corridor centred on Chattogram will evolve into a logistics hub, allowing the ports to operate more efficiently," the minister remarked, adding that major infrastructure activities are already underway in the Matarbari area to strengthen the region's overall economic and logistics capabilities.
While acknowledging that these projects are long-term endeavors requiring several years to complete, he affirmed the government’s intention to initiate work as swiftly as possible.
Addressing the broader national economic climate, Minister Khosru acknowledged that executing the current budget presents a significant challenge.
"The current administration inherited a fragile economy from its predecessor, while the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has added further pressure. Our immediate priority is to stabilize the economy before fully utilizing our development potential," he stated.
Despite these hurdles, he expressed strong optimism that the country’s economic outlook will see marked improvement during the third and fourth years of the current administration’s tenure. "Bangladesh will move towards becoming a trillion-dollar economy by fully utilizing its potential," he concluded.
The briefing was attended by Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain, Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Engineer Belayet Hossain, and Chattogram City BNP Joint Convener MA Aziz.
