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Imran Khan, a prominent American investor of Bangladeshi origin, met Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in New York on Saturday (local time) and expressed his interest in investing in Bangladesh.
Khan, 48, moved to the United States at the age of 18 to pursue higher studies and later gained prominence as an investment banker with a focus on technology companies.
Professor Yunus invited him to invest in Bangladesh’s rapidly growing fintech, healthcare, and social business sectors, according to a BSS report Monday.
Khan, Chairman of the Board at Aleph Holding, said he was deeply inspired by Professor Yunus’s lifelong mission to eradicate poverty and felt the timing was right to invest in his homeland.
"I am a great admirer of your work. You are a national pride for all of us," Khan told Professor Yunus, crediting his influence as a key reason behind his interest in contributing to Bangladesh’s development.
A former investment banker at JP Morgan and Credit Suisse, Khan played a pivotal role in Alibaba’s record-breaking IPO—one of the most successful in stock market history—and contributed to the growth of Snapchat, helping raise its valuation from zero to US$728 million within months.
During the meeting, Khan said he has been closely following Bangladesh’s investment climate since the interim government assumed office in August last year.
"The timing is favourable: the regulatory environment has become more enabling," he noted.
He expressed particular enthusiasm about the rapid growth of fintech and indicated that investments would follow as the right opportunities emerge.
"Bangladesh is a frontier market with an underpenetrated fintech opportunity. It has a large young population and the growth potential is enormous," Khan observed.
Khan is also the founder and CEO of Proem Asset, an investment firm he launched in 2018 that specializes in concentrated investments in technology-driven sectors, particularly fintech. His broader portfolio includes ventures in payments, digital infrastructure, and related industries.
Professor Yunus invited Khan to visit Bangladesh in the coming months to explore opportunities firsthand. In response, Khan said he would plan a trip soon.
"Bangladesh’s young people need role models like you. It's an exciting time back home—you can help inspire a new generation," said Professor Yunus.
The chief adviser also proposed that top US investors allocate one per cent of their investments to social business initiatives or contribute to a social business fund supported by like-minded companies—a suggestion Khan welcomed and said he hoped to support in the future.
SDG Coordinator and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed was also present at the meeting.