Legal & Contracting in Bangladesh

Essentials guide · Partly source-checked42% of statements checked against a source8 checked against an official source14 checked against a secondary sourceChecked 2026-10-196 held back until checked against an official source9 topics include AI-written statements, not source-checkedNot yet professionally reviewed

• Foreign private investment is protected under the Foreign Private Investment (Promotion and Protection) Act 1980, which provides for fair treatment, protection against expropriation without compensation and repatriation of capital and returns.

  Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh) · checked 2026-10-19

• BIDA registers investment projects, and branch, liaison and representative offices of foreign companies must be registered with BIDA, with applications made through its online one stop service (OSS) portal and approved by an inter-ministerial committee.

  Branch, liaison and representative office applications are processed only at BIDA headquarters in Dhaka. BIDA registration is needed for tax incentives, work permits and foreign borrowing. The roles of BEPZA, BEZA and the Hi-Tech Park Authority for projects in their zones were not confirmed on this check.Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) · checked 2026-10-19

• 100 percent foreign ownership is permitted in most sectors; arms, ammunition and military equipment, nuclear power, security printing and minting, and forestation and mechanised extraction in reserved forests are reserved industries closed to private investment, and controlled industries such as banking, insurance, power generation, oil and gas, telecommunications, sea-port operations and chemicals need a no objection certificate from the relevant ministry before registration.

  Classification under the National Industry Policy 2016 as cited by BIDA. Local ownership is required for some businesses, including shipping agents, freight and cargo forwarding agents, courier service agents, buying houses and indenting agents, advertising agents and for-profit education institutions.Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) · checked 2026-10-19

• A private limited company registered with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) must have at least two directors and between two and 50 shareholders, who may be local or foreign.

  One person companies are available only to local individuals, not to foreign investors.OGR Legal (Resource Portal) · checked 2026-10-19

• Liaison offices of foreign companies need BIDA approval, may not carry on income-generating activity in Bangladesh and must bring in inward remittances of at least USD 50,000 for establishment costs.

  Outward remittances by liaison offices are generally not allowed without a specific BIDA exemption.BangladeshAccord Chambers (law firm) · checked 2026-10-19

• The Competition Act 2012 established the Bangladesh Competition Commission, which can review combinations such as mergers and acquisitions that adversely affect competition.

  AI-written, not source-checked

• Substantial acquisitions and takeovers of listed companies are regulated by the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC).

  AI-written, not source-checked

• Winding up of companies is governed by the Companies Act 1994 and handled by the High Court Division of the Supreme Court.

  AI-written, not source-checked

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