Bangladesh Frontier

Economy & industry overview

Bangladesh is a lower-middle-income economy in South Asia with a nominal GDP of approximately $451 billion in 2024, driven primarily by its dominant ready-made garments (RMG) sector, which accounts for roughly 84% of merchandise exports. The services sector contributes approximately 51% of GDP, industry around 34%, and agriculture approximately 11%. Remittances from overseas workers constitute another major source of foreign exchange. The pharmaceutical sector has grown significantly, with leading firms exporting to dozens of countries. The economy has historically recorded strong GDP growth but moderated to around 4.2% in FY2024 amid global headwinds and elevated domestic inflation.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$451.00B
GDP growth real, annual	4.2%
Inflation annual	9.2%
Population people	173.6M
GDP per capita USD	$2,623
Market cap total listed, USD	$54.00B
Market cap / GDP	12.0%
Unemployment	3.6%
Listed companies	656
Exchange	Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE)

Data year: 2024. Sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Economic Outlook, World Bank Development Indicators, Wikipedia – Economy of Bangladesh, Wikipedia – Dhaka Stock Exchange, Trading Economics – Bangladesh, FocusEconomics – Bangladesh, UNDP Bangladesh – Inflation Report, Macrotrends – Bangladesh Unemployment, CEIC – DSE Market Capitalization, ETFdb.com – Bangladesh ETF Exposure, Grokipedia – List of Companies of Bangladesh.

Local exchange & access

Exchange	Dhaka Stock Exchange
Code	DSE
Website	www.dse.com.bd
Currency	BDT

Local broker access

Direct access to the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) for foreign investors requires opening a Non-Resident Investor's Taka Account (NITA) and a Beneficiary Owner (BO) account through a DSE-registered stockbroker. Foreign portfolio investment is permitted in all DSE-listed securities. Capital and dividends are freely repatriable under Bangladesh Bank regulations. US-based investors typically gain indirect exposure through frontier or Asia-focused ETFs rather than direct brokerage, as most international brokers do not offer direct DSE access.

Global brokers with foreign-market access

• Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
• Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
• Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.

Listed for convenience only — not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.

Relocation & residency

Foreign-investor access

Foreign nationals wishing to reside in Bangladesh for business purposes may apply for an investor or business visa, which typically requires demonstrating active business engagement. Long-term residency is generally granted on a case-by-case basis. Bangladesh Bank approval is required for repatriation of investment proceeds. Expatriate employees at registered companies may obtain work permits through the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).