Bangladesh’s drive to expand its renewable energy base has come into sharper focus, with solar power investment at the centre of discussions between Dhaka and Canberra, as Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir urged Australia to increase investment in Bangladesh’s solar energy sector.
The appeal was made on Tuesday during a meeting with Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Susan Ryle at the Commerce Ministry in Dhaka. Both sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral trade, investment flows and broader economic cooperation, with energy transition identified as a key area of interest.
Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said the government is actively working to create a business-friendly environment for foreign investors, particularly in renewable energy. He said Bangladesh is committed to building an investment-friendly framework to attract capital into clean power generation and related infrastructure.
He added that revitalising existing industrial enterprises, establishing new industries and generating employment remain top policy priorities. According to him, the government aims to activate industrial assets worth around 7 billion US dollars and bring in private investment to improve productivity across underutilised sectors.
The commerce minister specifically urged Australian companies to invest in Bangladesh’s solar power generation sector, highlighting its potential role in easing pressure on imported fuels such as liquefied natural gas and reducing long-term exposure to volatile global energy markets.
Australia’s High Commissioner Susan Ryle said bilateral trade between the two countries currently stands at about 5.14 billion US dollars and continues to grow steadily. She noted that Bangladesh’s energy sector, particularly renewables, offers significant investment opportunities as the country seeks to diversify its power mix away from imported fossil fuels.
She said a high-level Australian delegation is already assessing potential areas of cooperation in green energy, innovation and technology. Ryle also highlighted that around 28,000 Bangladeshi students are currently studying in Australia, underlining strong people-to-people and education links between the two countries.
Both sides expressed interest in expanding cooperation beyond energy into trade facilitation, scholarships, capacity building for Commerce Ministry officials, trade negotiations and infrastructure development.
Commerce Ministry Secretary (Current Charge) Md Abdur Rahim Khan was also present at the meeting.
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