Bida’s one stop service to facilitate setting up industries: Minister

Linking the land ministry to the online one stop service (OSS) of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) will remove various barriers – especially the complexities in land management – to setting up industries, said the land minister.

"The better the services regarding investment are, the more foreign direct investment (FDI) will come into the country, which is very important for our economy. No country can develop without foreign direct investment. So we have to provide integrated investment services," said Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Monday, at a programme launching new services added to Bida's OSS.

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) has integrated five new services into its OSS – the land ministry's e-mutation service, Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence's services regarding no objection letters for proposed and existing industries, Dhaka Wasa's service of providing water connections to industrial establishments, and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha's service of providing land use permits.

At Monday's programme, the land minister said, "The cost of doing business has come down a lot. Our OSS – with all the services supporting investment at one address – has brought a fundamental change in creating an investment-friendly environment in Bangladesh.

"Besides, there has been greater incentive for investment due to a reduction in the scope of corruption. Land service activities are being made easier and investment friendly."

Bida Executive Chairman Lokman Hossain Miah said, "As a result of connecting the five services to Bida's OSS portal, a total of 63 services – 18 of Bida and 45 of 22 other organisations – will now be available at one place. Consequently, investors will get services much faster."

Bida Executive Member Mohsina Yasmin, among others, was also present at Monday's programme.