Investing from the United States
Investing in Bangladesh from the United States
In short
A US company entering Bangladesh usually does so through a private limited company registered with the RJSC, a branch or liaison office permitted by BIDA, or by acquiring an interest in an existing Bangladeshi company. US groups carry the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and their own sanctions and reporting obligations with them, and those requirements shape how a Bangladeshi subsidiary is structured, staffed and supervised from the first day.
Key takeaways
- A US group's own obligations — the FCPA, sanctions and reporting — shape how a Bangladeshi entity is structured, staffed and supervised.
- Those obligations are satisfied alongside Bangladeshi law, and they usually require more of the local entity than Bangladeshi law does.
- Where the business is technology or licensing, the intellectual property position in Bangladesh is settled before anything is deployed.
- How profits leave Bangladesh depends on how the investment came in and was recorded.
Tax treaty position between Bangladesh and the United States
Whether a double taxation agreement applies to your position, and what it gives you, depends on the structure and on the agreement in force at the time. We confirm the current position against the National Board of Revenue's own list for your facts rather than stating a general rule here, because a treaty summary that has gone out of date is worse than none.
The guide chapter on double taxation agreements and foreign tax implications sets out how the regime works.
Setting up, according to BIDA
- A branch, liaison, representative or project office must bring in foreign exchange equivalent to US$50,000 or more within two months of BIDA approval.
- It is a deadline that starts on approval rather than on opening, and it is missed by groups who treat approval as the finish line.
- A company is registered with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC&F) through the BIDA One Stop Service: name clearance, verification of the capital deposit, office address, documents, fees, then tax and trade registrations.
- The order is fixed. Capital has to be in and evidenced before the registration completes.
- The employer applies for an expatriate work permit through BIDA OSS, and must submit the application and documents including a copy of the appropriate visa within 15 days of the expatriate arriving.
- Fifteen days from arrival, and the duty is the employer's rather than the individual's.
Source: Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, investment FAQ, read 3 August 2026. Rules change; check the current position before acting.
Taking money out, according to BIDA
- Registered investors may repatriate invested capital, profit and dividend, and may remit royalties and franchise, technical licence, know-how and technical assistance fees.
- The permission exists; what governs it in practice is how the investment was brought in and recorded.
- Dividend and profit income, both final and interim, may be remitted to non-resident shareholders through an authorised dealer. A branch of a foreign company may remit post-tax profits to its head office the same way.
- An authorised dealer bank is the route in both cases, and it will ask for the evidence the route requires.
- A foreign national employed in Bangladesh may remit up to 80% of monthly salary, after deducting admissible expenses, savings and retirement benefits, through an authorised dealer.
- It is a ceiling on the monthly figure, not on the total, and it is worth knowing before an employment package is agreed.
Source: Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, investment FAQ and incentives, read 3 August 2026. Rules change; check the current position before acting.
What American clients ask us for
Sectors we see most from the United States
The detail, from our Bangladesh guide
The law is the same wherever the investor is from. These are the chapters that matter most on the way in, in the order they arise.
- 3.1. Overview of foreign direct investment (FDI) policies
- 3.2. Investment promotion authorities (BIDA, BEPZA, BEZA, Hi-Tech Park Authority, BSCIC)
- 5.1. Business Structures
- 5.2. Registration Requirements and Procedures
- 5.3. Capital Requirements and Ownership Rules
- 6.6 Double Taxation Agreements and Foreign Tax Implications
- 7.3. Foreign Exchange Controls and Repatriation of Profits
- 4.1. Work Visas and Entry Permits
Common questions
What does the FCPA mean for a US company's Bangladeshi subsidiary?
It means the subsidiary's dealings with officials, agents and intermediaries are the parent's exposure, so the controls, the contracts with local agents and the approval thresholds are designed for that from the start rather than retrofitted.
Can a US company own 100% of a Bangladeshi company?
Foreign ownership is permitted in most sectors, with a small number reserved or restricted. Which category the business falls into is settled before incorporation, because it determines whether a local partner is required.
How do we protect our software or brand in Bangladesh?
By registering it in Bangladesh. Rights registered elsewhere do not carry over, and the practical protection comes from local registration plus contracts — licensing, distribution and employment — that are enforceable in Bangladesh.
Please note. This is general information about doing business in Bangladesh, not legal advice, and no solicitor–client relationship arises from reading it. Law, policy and treaty positions change; take advice on your own facts before acting.