Though foreign investment and 100% foreign ownership is permitted in general, with a limited industries and business activities which have some restriction for foreign investment in Bangladesh as below:
Businesses where 100% Foreign ownership is not permitted
Number of business activities mentioned as below where 100% foreign ownership is not allowed:
- Courier service agent
- Buying houses and indenting agents
- Advertising agency
- Shipping agent
- Freight forwarding agents
- Airlines/railway GSA/PSA/cargo agent
Protected Industries
Foreign Investment in certain industries in Bangladesh also require prior approval of the relevant authority, upon receiving the due approval RJSC accept company registration application:
- Satellite Channel
- Cargo/passenger aviation
- Sea-bound ship transport
- Fishing in the deep sea
- Bank, Insurance and other financial institution
- Generation, supply and distribution of power
- Exploration, extraction and supply of natural resources
- Large-scale infrastructure project
- Crude oil refinery (recycling/refining of lube oil used as fuel)
- Medium and large industry using natural mineral as raw materials
- Sea-port/Deep sea-port
- VOIP/IP telephone
- Industries using heavy minerals accumulated from sea beach
Restricted Industries
Foreign investment to the below industries in Bangladesh is fully restricted:
- Production of nuclear energy;
- Arms and ammunition and other defense equipment and machinery.
- Forest plantation and mechanized extraction within the bounds of reserved forests
- Security printing and mining