BB to give big push on green banking
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
FE Report
The central bank will take a special programme to promote "green banking" as it aims to lead the campaign for saving the country's fragile environment, Governor Atiur Rahman said Tuesday.
"Banking should be done on green footing," the central bank chief said.
"I think green banking will change the way banks are rendering their services. We'll be issuing a circular for this kind of banking in the shortest possible time," he added.
Dr Rahman was speaking at a seminar on "Financial Inclusion through Adaptation of Renewable Energy Technologies in Agriculture and Economy" in the city, jointly organisd by Credit Development Facility (CDF) and Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Limited (RREL).
The BB governor also asked private banks for taking measures to set up branches in rural areas across the country to connect more people to the banking network.
"The PCBs may establish mini branches in villages to serve the rural people," he said, adding that the BB would go tough if PCBs don't carry out the instruction.
Chairman of the Rahimafrooz Group Afroz Rahim, Director of the Rahimafrooz group Niaz Rahim, chief executive officers and managing directors of private commercial banks and executive directors of NGOs were present in the occasion.
Speakers called for making the existing agriculture system sustainable for ensuring food security, saying that the present agriculture system in the country was vulnerable to power crisis.
While the national grid can meet only 13.5 per cent of the demand, diesel-powered pumps make up for the rest of the demand, they added.
Munawar Misbah Moin, Managing Director, Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Limited, said renewable energy technologies can play an important role in the development of agriculture.
Speakers also urged banks to provide flexible, soft-term loans to entrepreneurs of solar irrigation projects.
The central bank will take a special programme to promote "green banking" as it aims to lead the campaign for saving the country's fragile environment, Governor Atiur Rahman said Tuesday.
"Banking should be done on green footing," the central bank chief said.
"I think green banking will change the way banks are rendering their services. We'll be issuing a circular for this kind of banking in the shortest possible time," he added.
Dr Rahman was speaking at a seminar on "Financial Inclusion through Adaptation of Renewable Energy Technologies in Agriculture and Economy" in the city, jointly organisd by Credit Development Facility (CDF) and Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Limited (RREL).
The BB governor also asked private banks for taking measures to set up branches in rural areas across the country to connect more people to the banking network.
"The PCBs may establish mini branches in villages to serve the rural people," he said, adding that the BB would go tough if PCBs don't carry out the instruction.
Chairman of the Rahimafrooz Group Afroz Rahim, Director of the Rahimafrooz group Niaz Rahim, chief executive officers and managing directors of private commercial banks and executive directors of NGOs were present in the occasion.
Speakers called for making the existing agriculture system sustainable for ensuring food security, saying that the present agriculture system in the country was vulnerable to power crisis.
While the national grid can meet only 13.5 per cent of the demand, diesel-powered pumps make up for the rest of the demand, they added.
Munawar Misbah Moin, Managing Director, Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Limited, said renewable energy technologies can play an important role in the development of agriculture.
Speakers also urged banks to provide flexible, soft-term loans to entrepreneurs of solar irrigation projects.