Invest Bangladesh Act 2026: BIDA, BEZA and the PPP Authority merged into one agency
Parliament passed the Invest Bangladesh Act 2026 on 15 July 2026, and the merged agency began operating under the name Invest Bangladesh on 23 August 2026. For investors, the registrations BIDA used to handle — and economic-zone approvals — now run through one body.
What changed
The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and the Public Private Partnership Authority were merged into a single agency under the Prime Minister’s Office. The Act was brought into force by gazette in the second half of August 2026, and the agency has operated as Invest Bangladesh since 23 August 2026.
What did not change
BEPZA (export processing zones) and the Hi-Tech Park Authority were not merged and keep their own registration regimes. Economic zones now sit inside Invest Bangladesh. The practical questions for an investor — whether to register, what it costs, what documents go in, and what registration unlocks (work permits, remittances, incentives) — are the same as before.
The open point: old permits
Whether permits and registrations issued by BIDA before August 2026 continue under a savings clause has not been published. In practice they are being honoured, but anything new — an amendment, a renewal, an expatriate work permit — should be applied for in the name of Invest Bangladesh.
What it means for you
Documents, board papers and agreements drafted from now on should say "Invest Bangladesh (formerly BIDA)". If your approvals predate August 2026, keep them with the original BIDA references and raise the continuity question in any new filing.
Sources
Laws and forms behind this guide
Authentic texts hosted by BD Advocacy. Section numbers are the ones this guide relies on.
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