BRAC EPL Investments Limited and IIX sign strategic MoU

BRAC EPL Investments Limited (BEIL) will partner with Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) to launch Bangladesh's first Orange Bonds, Orange Sukuk, and other impact-investment instruments through a newly signed strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

This collaboration combines BEIL's capital market expertise with IIX's leadership in innovative finance, aiming to facilitate Bangladesh's transition from a Least Developed Country (LDC) to a Middle-Income nation by 2026. The partnership will create new opportunities for local investors, provide access to diverse funding for small businesses and women-led enterprises, and strengthen Bangladesh's capital market through international best practices.

Orange Bonds are guided by the Orange Bond Principles™ and comply with other international sustainability standards, including the International Capital Market Association's Green Bond Principles, Social Bond Principles, and Sustainability Bond Guidelines.

The signing ceremony was attended by Professor Durreen Shahnaz, Founder & CEO of IIX; Debashis Roy, Director of Advisory & Partnerships at IIX; Fahima Choudhury Keya, Chairman of BEIL; Syed Rashed Hussain, CEO of BEIL; Anup Datta, Head of Corporate Advisory at BEIL; along with other members of the project team.

BEIL, with two decades of experience in the capital market, is recognized for introducing pioneering investment banking solutions. Syed Rashed Hussain, CEO of BEIL, commented: "Orange Bonds present an opportunity to unlock capital for SMEs and women-led enterprises in Bangladesh, supporting sustainable and inclusive growth."

Professor Durreen Shahnaz, Founder and CEO of IIX, stated: "Introducing Orange Bonds to Bangladesh represents an approach that combines innovative finance with efforts to transform underserved communities and empower women to drive systemic change." Recognized since 2009, IIX has contributed to the impact investing movement, reshaping finance for sustainable development by focusing on gender equality and climate action through capital mobilisation and data-driven solutions.

Through this partnership, BEIL and IIX will support issuer readiness, advise on thematic bond structures, engage with regulators, and bring together domestic and international investors to build a vibrant and inclusive impact investment ecosystem.