DHAKA: The UK government and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have produced a study that focuses on investment issues that impact on inclusive economic growth.

The UK government and USAID have jointly surveyed the investment climate in Bangladesh, said a press release on Tuesday. 

USAID Mission Director Janina Jaruzelski also pointed to this effort as “an opportunity for additional collaboration between the donor community and the government of Bangladesh, as it develops its economic policy priorities, including the next Five Year Plan.”

The study identifies the importance of addressing energy availability and protecting property rights.  While the study does not reference education as a major investment issue, it notes the importance of education polices – particularly in tertiary education – to supporting Bangladesh’s future economic potential.

Department for International Development (DFID) Country Representative Sarah Cooke said, “It is vital we create a detailed, shared understanding of the challenges facing investment in Bangladesh. This supports work across the development community, the Bangladesh government and the private sector to speed up inclusive economic growth”. 

“The report adds valuable new insights, benefitting from the input of both UK and US analysts, building on what we already know.  I hope it will be widely read and support further collaboration”, Sarah added.

The study assesses the challenges faced by investors in the garment and textile sectors, including power supply, labor skills, and access to finance. 

It also analyses the constraints facing women entrepreneurs, looking in particular at social norms that restrict opportunities, educational attainment, and limits to economic empowerment that come from owning fewer valuable assets in the first place.

BDST: 2020 HRS, OCT 21, 2014