Municipal Competitiveness Index in focus at BIDA workshop
The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), in collaboration with Swisscontact's PRABRIDDHI project, hosted a high-level workshop in Dhaka on Thursday to present the Municipal Competitiveness Index (MCI) 2024.
Positioned as a key tool, the MCI aims to drive targeted reforms and enhance Bangladesh's local investment climate.
Titled "The Role of the Municipal Competitiveness Index (MCI) in Strengthening the Investment Climate", the event brought together senior policymakers, development partners, and private sector representatives at the BIDA Multipurpose Hall. It showcased the competitiveness and investment readiness of seven pilot municipalities, outlining reform pathways to unlock economic potential at the subnational level.
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Developed under the Bangladesh Investment Climate Improvement (BICI) programme and implemented by Policy Exchange Bangladesh, the MCI is informed by nationwide consultations. It highlights key regulatory challenges and offers actionable pathways for municipalities to attract investment and accelerate local economic growth.
PRABRIDDHI is a local economic development initiative. It is jointly funded by the Governments of Bangladesh and Switzerland, and implemented by the Local Government Division (LGD) and Swisscontact.
Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud Bin Harun, executive chairman of BIDA and BEZA, called the index "timely and transformative."
He observed that investment facilitation has been Dhaka-focused. The index, he noted, draws attention to municipalities as viable investment destinations, while strengthening local capacities and coordination enhances their appeal.
He affirmed BIDA's openness to recommendations and support for initiatives addressing barriers beyond Dhaka.
Shah Mohammad Mahboob, an executive member (and additional secretary), chaired the session. He emphasised the need to integrate the MCI into BIDA's broader reform agenda. "Institutionalising this tool can provide sustained insights into municipal-level challenges, guiding evidence-based policy and reforms," he said.
Md Mokhlesur Rahman, executive member (investment ecosystem), and Markus Ehmann, team leader of the PRABRIDDHI project, attended as special guests.
Dr M Masrur Reaz, Chairman of Policy Exchange Bangladesh, presented the MCI findings. He noted the importance of expanding the investment lens beyond Dhaka and Chattogram. "The MCI provides a data-driven understanding of the municipal business environment, something previous indices like the World Bank's Doing Business report lacked," he said.
Jibon Krishna Saha Roy, Director General of BIDA, said earlier that pilot reforms at the divisional level had paved the way for more meaningful local engagement. "Support from Swisscontact and the LGD helped us identify the need to strengthen the institutional capacity of local governments," he said.
The workshop was moderated by Abu Mohammad Nurul Hayat Totul, Deputy Director of BIDA, and featured panel discussions on key reform priorities, including business entry, infrastructure, taxation, dispute resolution, and access to finance.
The event concluded with participants reaffirming their commitment to using MCI findings to drive concrete investment reforms and foster stronger coordination between national and local actors for impactful change.
