Bangladesh Bank takes step on green banking
Bangladesh Bank (BB) governor Dr Atiur Rahman has said the central bank has taken steps to encourage green banking in Bangladesh through the issuance of guidelines on green banking and Environmental Risk Management (ERM).
“The central bank introduced Tk 2.0 billion refinance line for financing solar energy, biogas and effluent treatment plant (ETP) at only 5 percent interest rate,” he said on Thursday while addressing the Global Policy Forum 2011 at the Riviera Maya of Mexico.
The Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) arranged the event where more than 300 policymakers including governors and deputy governors from developed and emerging economies have gathered to share their experiences on financial inclusion in their countries, according to a message received here Friday.
Dr Atiur said steps have also been taken to set up solar power system at the rooftop of BB Head Office, encouraging banks and financial institutions in minimizing paper transactions and installing solar power system, opening up refinance line for solar energy, bio-gas and effluent treatment plant (ETP) at reduced interest rates.
He said Bangladesh Bank is actively encouraging engagement of banks, microfinance institutions and mobile phone and/or smart card IT platforms in partnerships innovating financial service delivery models responding to the diversity of existing and emerging new needs in the fast developing market.
“Receipt and delivery of inward remittances from workers abroad are now largely electronic, and the electronic mode has made large inroads also in payments of utility bills.”
The central bank governor said use of credit and debit cards for e-payment at vendor site POS terminals is spreading steadily. “Mobile phone and/or smart card based online purchases of goods and services are catching on in popularity, with growing hassles from traffic snarls and jams in physical visits to vendor outlets in cities.”
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