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Dhaka district alone contributes nearly 46 per cent of Bangladesh’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), valued at $462 billion in the fiscal year 2024–25, according to a new analysis by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).
The study found that per capita income in Dhaka district stands at $5,164, almost double the national average of $2,820. The capital region also remains the country’s largest employment hub, generating over 40 per cent of total jobs, equivalent to around 68.09 million people employed.
The findings were unveiled on Saturday at a focus group discussion (FGD) on “Economic Position Index (EPI)”, organised by the DCCI at its auditorium.
Dr AKM Asaduzzaman Patwary, Acting Secretary General of DCCI, presented the keynote paper titled “Economic Position Index (EPI): Assessing Quarterly Economic Position in Dhaka District”, at the event chaired by Taskeen Ahmed, President of the organisation.
Miah Rahmat Ali, Senior Private Sector Specialist at the IFC; Dr Mostafa Abid Khan, former member of the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission; and Rizwan Rahman, former president of the DCCI, also spoke at the event, alongside representatives from the government, Bangladesh Bank, academia, research institutions, and the private sector.
Speaking on the occasion, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed said the chamber has taken the initiative to develop the EPI to assess the country’s overall economic activities on a quarterly basis.
He noted that existing indicators, such as the Business Confidence Index, Ease of Doing Business Index, or even GDP growth, cannot fully capture the real-time dynamics of the business environment and economic shifts.
To bridge that gap, DCCI has designed the EPI to provide timely insights into production, sales, order flow, exports, employment, and investment trends.
Initially, the EPI survey was conducted focusing on the Dhaka district, but the chamber plans to gradually expand it nationwide to reflect changes across the broader economy.
Mr Ahmed emphasised that the EPI will not merely be a statistical report but will serve as an effective policy-support tool, enabling policymakers and businesses to identify economic trends and sectoral shifts more promptly.
The index will analyse quarterly performance in both the manufacturing and services sectors, including ready-made garments, textiles, wholesale and retail trade, real estate, transport, logistics, and banking, he said.