Tears and Triumph: Investment Summit Opens with Emotion and Innovation
The third day of the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 commenced with the grand opening ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dhaka on Wednesday morning. Organized by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the four-day event features Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of the interim government, as the chief guest.
During the opening session, five individuals and institutions were awarded from a pool of 67 nominations. The recipients include Nazmul Islam, founder of tech startup Fabric Lagbe, in the Innovation and Inclusivity category; S. Mahbubul Alam, Managing Director of Walton, under the ESG category; bKash in the Foreign Investor category; and Eric S. Chowdhury, Managing Director of Square Pharmaceuticals, in the Local Business category.
Additionally, Ki Hak Sang, Chairman of the Korean Export Processing Zone, received a special honor. The Chief Adviser presented the awards and referred to the recipients as “heroes of Bangladesh.” Ki Hak was also granted Bangladeshi citizenship on this occasion. Expressing his gratitude, he said he was deeply honored to receive it from the Nobel laureate.
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The event took an emotional turn when Dr. Yunus, recalling the 1971 Liberation War and its aftermath, paused momentarily, overwhelmed by emotion. His voice trembled as he spoke of famine-stricken citizens in post-independence Bangladesh, sharing how these hardships inspired the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey. “Bangladesh is a country of crazy ideas,” he declared, asserting that such imagination enables citizens to change society—not only locally, but globally. Emphasizing the importance of social business, Yunus said, “Profit is satisfying, but putting smiles on people’s faces brings even more joy. Poverty eradication is possible by building a framework for the development of the poor. Bangladesh is the ideal ground for social business.” He called business a powerful tool to change the world, stating, “Many opportunities remain unexplored. With technology and innovation, young people can meet pressing social needs.” Addressing the youth directly, he said, “The new generation will collectively transform the world. They will not wait for governments. That new world must be built starting now. Doing business in Bangladesh is not only an investment in this country—it is part of a global social business movement.” Dr. Yunus added, “Changing people’s lives through collective earning is a heavenly feeling. We can build a new civilization without carbon emissions. The current one is self-destructive.” |
The session began at 10:00 a.m. with the symbolic launch of Starlink’s trial usage in Bangladesh. A Starlink dish was installed at the venue, enabling live online broadcasting of the event via satellite internet. Despite the otherwise smooth stream, a brief 90-second audio outage at around 10:30 a.m. caused slight discomfort among the attendees and virtual viewers.
The ceremony was moderated by Lutfey Siddiqi, International Affairs Adviser to the Chief Adviser. Other notable attendees included BIDA Chairman Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud Bin Harun and Apex Footwear Ltd. Managing Director Syed Nasim Manzur, who presented on Bangladesh’s investment potential.
