Since 23 August 2026, Invest Bangladesh has taken over the functions of the former PPP Authority, together with those of BIDA and BEZA, under the Invest Bangladesh Act 2026. In practice, approval of a PPP still involves several layers: the line ministry or implementing agency that owns the project, Invest Bangladesh as the PPP body, finance and planning approvals and, for larger infrastructure projects, approval at cabinet committee level. Because rules and delegations are still settling, we confirm the current approval path for each project rather than relying on older guidance or published flowcharts. We then plan around it.

Projects approved or contracted under the former PPP Authority do not simply lapse. The usual approach in a merger of statutory bodies is that rights, obligations and pending matters pass to the successor body, but the detail depends on the transitional provisions and on the project documents themselves. Sponsors should review their contracts for references to the old authority, confirm who now administers approvals and payments, and check whether any consents need to be re-issued. We carry out this review for infrastructure projects at bid, financial close or operation stage. Gaps are then closed before lenders ask.

Yes. Foreign companies regularly lead or join consortia for power, transport, port and utility projects, either directly or through a locally incorporated project company. The project company is usually a private limited company registered with the RJSC and, depending on the sector, registered or approved by Invest Bangladesh or the relevant regulator. Foreign sponsors should look early at ownership limits in the sector, work permits, foreign borrowing approvals, tax treatment and the governing law and dispute clauses they need for the investment to be financed and protected. We advise on each of these points.

There is no single template, but common patterns exist. The private partner normally takes design, construction, operating and financing risk. The public side usually keeps risks it controls, such as land delivery, certain approvals, political events and change in law that targets the project. Demand risk may be taken by either side, depending on whether payments are user charges or availability payments. Foreign exchange and termination risk are often the hardest points to negotiate. We help parties test each allocation against what lenders, insurers and the public budget can actually support. Realism matters more than precedent.

Concession and implementation agreements with Bangladeshi public bodies are usually governed by Bangladesh law, because the project, land and public counterpart are local. Finance documents and some supply or EPC contracts may be governed by English or another foreign law. Dispute resolution clauses often provide for arbitration, sometimes seated abroad under institutional rules, with the Arbitration Act 2001 relevant to enforcement in Bangladesh. The choice of law and forum should be considered together, as it affects how claims against the state are brought and enforced in infrastructure projects. Early agreement avoids later argument. We advise on both at drafting stage.

A G2G project is negotiated between the Government of Bangladesh and a foreign government, often with a contractor and financing from that country, and may follow a different procurement route from an open tender. A PPP involves a private partner investing in and operating the asset under a long-term concession. Some infrastructure projects combine elements of both. G2G arrangements can be faster but raise particular questions about transparency, pricing, approvals and dispute resolution, so contractors and lenders should obtain a clear legal map before relying on them. We provide that map for infrastructure projects of every size.

Timelines vary widely, and we do not give fixed estimates without seeing the project. The main drivers are the maturity of the feasibility work, how quickly land and approvals are delivered, the number of lenders and the complexity of government support. Negotiation of the concession agreement and direct agreements can take many months on infrastructure projects with several lenders or export credit agencies. Clear early decisions on risk allocation, and a realistic list of conditions precedent, are the best ways to shorten the path to close. We help sponsors and lenders plan for both from day one.

A contractor should check how concession risks will be passed down into the EPC contract, whether liability caps and delay damages are aligned, how payment will flow if the project company is in dispute with the public side, and whether its security and guarantees match the project timetable. It should also review the consortium agreement for exit rights, decision-making and the treatment of bid costs. Our construction and EPC contracts team handles these interface points in detail. We also check consortium exit and default provisions, which matter greatly on infrastructure projects that take years to reach operation.