Bangladesh needs to explore green growth for economic prosperity: Experts

Policymakers, private sector leaders, academics, and international experts said that the younger generation requires better job opportunities for a prosperous Bangladesh and emphasised that the country should explore green growth for economic prosperity.

They said these at a high-level policy dialogue titled "More and Better Jobs for a Prosperous Bangladesh: Opportunities through Green Growth", organised by Policy Exchange and supported by the International Growth Centre at a hotel in Dhaka on Thursday (22 November).

The roundtable underscored the transformative potential of green growth strategies in driving sustainable economic development and generating gainful employment opportunities nationwide.

Dr M Masrur Reaz, chairman of Policy Exchange, delivered the keynote paper on pathways to green growth and its potential to catalyse job creation.

The guest of honour at the event, Md Abdur Rahim Khan, additional secretary (export) at the Ministry of Commerce, highlighted the significance of aligning green growth initiatives with Bangladesh's development priorities.

He also highlighted the challenges of transitioning to green practices, emphasising the lack of access to necessary technology and financing.

Dr Atonu Rabbani, professor of economics at the University of Dhaka, Naureen Chowdhury, head of the Labour Rights Programme at Laudes Foundation, Professor Dr AK Enamul Haque, environmental economist and deputy vice-chancellor of UCSI University Bangladesh, and Md Ariful Hoque, director general (joint secretary) at the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), participated in a panel discussion.

Shahid Vaziralli, head of the research programme at the International Growth Centre at the London School of Economics (LSE), moderated the event.

The event also served as a platform to address challenges and policy gaps hindering the adoption of green growth practices.

The participants discussed the importance of transitioning to cleaner technologies, improving resource efficiency, and fostering an inclusive approach to sustainable development that benefits all sectors of society.

Among others, Refayetullah Mridha, president of the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF), Ferdaus Ara, CEO of BUILD, Abdus Samad Al Azad, joint secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Zakir Hossain, associate editor of the daily Samakal, Tariq Hasan, first secretary, NBR, Saif Islam from ILO, Mehedi Hasan, additional director of Bangladesh Bank, and Ashfaqul Chowdhury, senior country economist at IGC, and Aminul Aman, policy officer at IGC, spoke at the event.