Foreign company registration in Bangladesh: documents, timeline and costs

You can register a foreign company in Bangladesh in 3-12 weeks, depending on which entity type you choose. A subsidiary takes 3-5 weeks. A branch or liaison office takes 6-12 weeks because you need BIDA approval before anything else can move. This guide covers the exact documents you need, the step-by-step process, and the government fees for all 3 entity types.

This guide covers process and paperwork only. If you haven’t decided on your entity type yet, start here first: Types of company registration in Bangladesh.

Subsidiary company registration: documents, process and timeline

You register your subsidiary directly with RJSC (Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms) under the Bangladesh Companies Act 1994. There’s no separate government approval body in between. The entire process runs through the RJSC web portal from start to finish.

Documents you’ll need for subsidiary registration

To open a non-operating bank account (before your RJSC filing):

• Name clearance certificate from RJSC
• Draft Memorandum of Association (MOA) and Articles of Association (AOA)
• Board resolution or Promoters’ Meeting Minutes
• NID or passport copies of all shareholders (natural persons)
• 3 photographs of all shareholders and directors
• Completed bank account application form

If your shareholder is a corporate entity, you’ll also need:

• Share tree analysis tracing the ultimate beneficial ownership of the corporate shareholder
• Passports and photographs of all nominee directors
• Passports and photographs of all shareholders of the parent company
• Incorporation certificate, MOA, AOA, and last year’s audited report of the parent company — all translated into English and notarized

For your RJSC company registration filing:

• Signed MOA and AOA
• Signed Form VI (notice of registered address)
• Signed Form IX (consent of directors)
• Signed subscriber page
• Encashment Certificate from your bank confirming equity remittance received

Step-by-step process for subsidiary registration

1. Get name clearance from RJSC. Apply through the RJSC web portal. Choose an available name, pay the government fee, and receive your name clearance certificate. This takes 1-3 working days.
2. Prepare your documents. Draft your MOA and AOA. Prepare Form VI, Form IX, board resolution, and subscriber page. If you have a corporate shareholder, prepare the share tree analysis and get all parent company documents notarized.
3. Open a non-operating bank account. Open a temporary bank account at any scheduled commercial bank in Bangladesh. This account receives your initial equity remittance. The bank issues an Encashment Certificate once the funds clear.
4. Remit your initial equity. Send the paid-up capital via SWIFT to your non-operating bank account. Mark the purpose as ‘Equity Investment’. Funds typically clear in 48-72 hours. Keep the Encashment Certificate — you’ll need it for the RJSC filing.
5. File with the RJSC web portal. Upload your MOA, AOA, Form VI, Form IX, subscriber page, and Encashment Certificate. The RJSC registrar reviews and approves the application.
6. Receive your RJSC documents. RJSC issues your Incorporation Certificate, certified copies of MOA and AOA, and Form XII (particulars of directors). Your company is now legally registered.
7. Complete post-registration registrations. Get your Trade License from the local government authority, E-TIN from NBR (National Board of Revenue), and VAT/BIN from the VAT Authority.

Watch out for this: corporate shareholders with layered ownership structures often don’t have the share tree analysis ready. It needs legal preparation in your home country. If this applies to you, start on it before you apply for name clearance — it’s the step most likely to add 2-3 weeks.

Timeline and government fees: subsidiary

• Total timeline: 3-5 weeks from document preparation to Incorporation Certificate
• RJSC name clearance fee: BDT 200-500
• RJSC incorporation fee: Starts at BDT 1,050 for minimum share capital; scales up with authorized share capital
• Trade license: BDT 2,000-10,000 depending on business location and type
• E-TIN: No fee
• VAT/BIN: No fee

Branch office registration: documents, process and timeline

Your branch office registration can’t begin until you have BIDA (Bangladesh Investment Development Authority) approval. BIDA holds 2 executive committee meetings per month. Plan for a 4-6 week BIDA approval window before any other step can move.

Documents you’ll need for branch office registration

For your BIDA permission application:

• Foreign company Incorporation Certificate
• Memorandum and Articles of Association (MOA and AOA) of the parent company
• Audited financial statements of your parent company for the previous 2 years
• Board resolution authorizing the branch office setup in Bangladesh
• Board resolution authorizing specific bank account signatories
• Passport copies and photographs of all directors of the foreign parent company
• Complete shareholder details of the parent company
• Declaration of the parent company’s business activities
• Declaration of the proposed branch office’s business activities in Bangladesh
• Organization chart of your proposed Bangladesh branch office
• Authorization letter to the consulting firm processing the application on your behalf

Documents 1 to 4 above must be translated into English and attested by the Bangladesh High Commission of your parent company’s home country before you submit to BIDA. Missing attestation is the single most common reason BIDA applications are rejected.

For bank account opening (after you receive BIDA approval):

• BIDA permission letter
• TIN certificate of the branch office
• Passport copies and photographs of the bank signatories

Step-by-step process for branch office registration

1. Create your BIDA web portal account. Register on the BIDA online portal and pay the government account creation fee.
2. Submit your BIDA application. Complete the online application and upload all required documents. The BIDA executive committee reviews applications at 2 scheduled meetings per month.
3. Receive your BIDA permission letter. After EC approval, BIDA issues an e-permission letter valid for 3 years. You must apply for renewal at least 2 months before it expires. Approval typically takes 4-6 weeks from submission.
4. Register with RJSC. Register your branch office with RJSC (Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms). This is a separate filing that happens after BIDA approval.
5. Get your Trade License. Apply to the local government authority (City Corporation or municipality). You’ll need a registered commercial office address and rental agreement.
6. Get your E-TIN. Register for a Tax Identification Number with NBR (National Board of Revenue).
7. Open an operative bank account. Open your Bangladesh bank account using the BIDA permission letter and TIN certificate.
8. Remit your initial investment. Remit a minimum of USD 50,000 within 2 months of your BIDA approval date. Late remittance incurs an additional 5% penalty on the total amount.
9. Get VAT/BIN registration. Register for VAT with the VAT Authority to receive your 13-digit Business Identification Number (BIN).

Timeline and government fees: branch office

• Total timeline: 8-12 weeks from document preparation to first operational day
• BIDA application fee: Approximately BDT 5,000-15,000 (varies by activity type)
• RJSC branch registration: Approximately BDT 10,000 and above
• Trade license: BDT 2,000-10,000
• Initial remittance: USD 50,000 mandatory minimum (this is a required inward investment, not a government fee)

Liaison / Representative office registration: documents, process and timeline

Your liaison office follows the same BIDA approval path as a branch office. The key difference: your BIDA application declares non-commercial activities only, and you don’t need an RJSC filing. Your liaison office can’t earn revenue or sign commercial contracts.

Documents you’ll need for liaison office registration

For your BIDA permission application:

• Foreign company Incorporation Certificate
• MOA and AOA of the parent company
• Audited financial statements of your parent company for the previous 2 years
• Board resolution authorizing the liaison office setup in Bangladesh
• Board resolution authorizing bank account signatories
• Passport copies and photographs of all directors of the parent company
• Complete shareholder details of the parent company
• Declaration of your parent company’s business activities
• Declaration of the proposed liaison office’s non-commercial activities in Bangladesh
• Bangladesh liaison office organization chart
• Authorization letter to the consulting firm processing the application on your behalf

All foreign documents must be translated into English and attested by the Bangladesh High Commission before submission to BIDA. This attestation step is the most common cause of delay in liaison office applications. Start it early.

Step-by-step process for liaison office registration

1. Create your BIDA portal account and submit your application. Register on the BIDA web portal, pay the account creation fee, and upload all required documents.
2. Receive your BIDA permission letter. BIDA EC reviews at 2 monthly meetings. Approval takes 4-6 weeks. Your permission letter is valid for 3 years and must be renewed before expiry.
3. Get your E-TIN. Register for a Tax Identification Number with NBR. Your liaison office needs a TIN even though it doesn’t pay profit tax. TDS obligations apply to employee salaries and vendor payments.
4. Open your operative bank account. Open a Bangladesh bank account using your BIDA permission letter and TIN certificate. All operating costs must come through parent company remittances into this account.
5. Remit your initial investment. Remit a minimum of USD 50,000 within 2 months of BIDA approval. Late remittance incurs a 5% penalty on the total amount.
6. Get your Trade License. Apply to the local government authority. Your liaison office must have a registered office address in Bangladesh.

Timeline and government fees: liaison office

• Total timeline: 6-10 weeks from document preparation to operational status
• BIDA application fee: Approximately BDT 5,000-15,000
• Trade license: BDT 2,000-10,000
• Initial remittance: USD 50,000 mandatory minimum

Timeline and cost comparison across all 3 entity types

Note: Government fees above are approximate and subject to change. Contact us for a current fee schedule before budgeting.

Common mistakes that delay foreign company registration in Bangladesh

We see these errors on a regular basis across both BIDA and RJSC applications. Each one adds weeks to your timeline.

• Un-attested foreign documents. Your MOA, AOA, and incorporation certificates must be attested by the Bangladesh High Commission of your parent company’s home country. Both BIDA and RJSC reject unattested documents without exception.
• Missing parent company audit reports. BIDA requires audited financials for the previous 2 years. If your parent company is less than 2 years old, you can’t apply for a branch or liaison office.
• Late equity remittance. Your USD 50,000 must arrive within 2 months of BIDA approval for both branch and liaison offices. Late remittance triggers a 5% penalty. Budget and schedule the transfer from day one.
• Wrong remittance purpose code. For subsidiary registration, your SWIFT payment must state ‘Equity Investment’ as the purpose. Banks won’t issue an Encashment Certificate if the purpose code is wrong, and RJSC won’t process your filing without it.
• Mismatched business activity declarations. BIDA approves specific activities. If your declaration lists activities your parent company doesn’t actually perform, your application gets rejected. Be precise and match your parent company’s actual activities exactly.

Need help with your registration?

We use the KAC Foreign Investor Expansion Process to guide foreign companies through every step — from the Khan Akber Regulatory Readiness Framework we apply at the document preparation stage through BIDA applications, RJSC filing, bank account opening, and post-registration compliance setup.

Start here: Business setup in Bangladesh. We’ve helped foreign companies get registered in Bangladesh since 2012.

Specific service pages: Subsidiary Company Setup | Branch Office Setup | Liaison Office Setup

To compare entity types before starting the process: Types of company registration in Bangladesh

Frequently asked questions

How long does foreign company registration in Bangladesh take?

It depends on which entity type you choose. A subsidiary takes 3-5 weeks via RJSC. A branch office takes 8-12 weeks and a liaison office takes 6-10 weeks. Both need BIDA approval first, which adds 4-6 weeks to the timeline.

What documents does a foreign company need to register in Bangladesh?

For a subsidiary: MOA, AOA, parent company incorporation certificate, board resolutions, and shareholder passports. For a branch or liaison office: add 2 years of audited financials and a business activities declaration. All foreign documents must be attested by the Bangladesh High Commission.

What is the minimum investment for a branch or liaison office in Bangladesh?

Both require a minimum inward remittance of USD 50,000 within 2 months of BIDA approval. This is mandatory regardless of your actual operating costs. Late remittance triggers a 5% penalty. For a subsidiary, there’s no minimum. Paid-up capital starts at BDT 1 per shareholder.

Does a foreign company need BIDA approval to register a subsidiary in Bangladesh?

No. Your subsidiary registers directly with RJSC without any BIDA involvement. BIDA approval is only required for branch offices and liaison offices. That’s one reason subsidiaries are faster to register. The BIDA step adds 4-6 weeks to branch and liaison office timelines.

Can a foreign company register in Bangladesh without visiting the country?

Yes. Most of the process runs through online portals. Both RJSC and BIDA have web portals for applications. A local authorized representative can process everything on your behalf using a board-authorized power of attorney. We manage this regularly for foreign clients who can’t travel during registration.