DHAKA : Twelve Chinese companies have proposed investments worth US$9.21 billion in Bangladesh across energy, infrastructure, logistics, manufacturing and education sectors following meetings with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman during his recent visit to China.

The investment proposals were presented when the chief executives and senior representatives of the 12 companies met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Beijing on June 25.

Ashik Chowdhury, Executive Director of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), who was poresent at the meeting, said on Saturday that political stability had been restored following the assumption of office by the newly elected BNP government, creating renewed investors confidence.

He said Bangladesh also presented a five-year tax outlook for the first time, highlighting policy stability and long-term predictability to prospective foreign investors.

According to investment proposals, Shanghai SUS Environment Co. Ltd. proposed to invest US$890 million in developing Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plants in Bangladesh.

China Future Energy Group Holding Limited proposed US$250 million for gas field exploration and development, while China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) offered US$650 million to develop and operate the Mongla Port Economic Zone, including bonded warehouse facilities and logistics infrastructure expected to generate around 50,000 jobs.

Shenzhen Kaifa Technology Co. Ltd. proposed investing US$250 million in manufacturing electric smart meters, while SF Express sought to invest US$180 million in cold-chain logistics and bonded warehouse facilities in Mongla to support e-commerce and export industries.

Huaxin Textile Industry Co. Ltd. proposed US$190 million for expanding recycled cotton and yarn production, manufacturing cylindrical lithium batteries and establishing a 200 MW captive solar power plant in the Payra Port Industrial Zone.

Zhongxin Environmental Protection Group proposed the single-largest environmental investment of US$1.65 billion to establish an e-waste recycling and disposal industrial project in the Payra Port Industrial Zone.

CRRC Ziyan Co. Ltd. proposed investing US$190 million in a rolling stock assembly plant through a joint venture with Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory (BMTF), while Sichuan Road & Bridge Group Co. Ltd. proposed a US$4.5 billion investment in the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project.

China Kepai Education Group proposed investing US$270 million to establish a modern application-oriented university and vocational education industrial park with capacity for 30,000 students, while China Shandong Zhongxin Pharmaceutical Co. Limited proposed US$190 million to develop a large-scale Chinese medicinal herb cultivation industry in Bangladesh.