Abstract:
Banking sector is now one of the booming sectors of Bangladesh. Currently this sector is becoming
extremely competitive with the arrival of multinational banks as well as emerging and technological
infrastructure, green banking, effective credit management, higher performance level and utmost customer
satisfaction. This competition is elevated after the entrance of the private commercial banks in
Bangladesh.Banks can play as a key indicator to stop environmental pollution through green banking
practices, because they are funding to different types of industrial and production organizations which
are polluting the environment in several ways. They should ascertain the outcome of the social and
environmental feasibility before giving credit facilities to these organizations. A Bank may ensure its
green banking activities through in-house green decoration, solar energy consumption, offering green
products to customers and paperless communication in national and international arena. The study
has been carried out on the basis of secondary data and the period of the study has covered five years
from 2011 to 2015. Banks usually provide dedicated public services for profits. It is believed that
profit should not be earned at the expense of the world’s most pressing environmental problems. Thus
the concept of green banking is evolved in response to the global initiative to save environment. It
is a kind of welfare banking for the society at large, it responses to be green in daily operations and
financing of nature conservation projects. The present paper aims to highlight the green banking road
map in Bangladesh and the status of its implementation. Further, an attempt has been made to explore
activities of commercial banks in comparison with global green banking initiatives. The study utilized
secondary data available from related websites, published reports and articles. The study concluded
that Bangladesh is far behind their counterparts from the developed countries. But the general picture
presents a transition to green banking in a consistent manner for most banks. By taking care of its
infrastructure development and accelerating its existing green movements, banks can ensure sustainability
for itself and greener world for communities. Banks hold a unique position in an economic
system that can affect production, services, business and other activities through their financing activities
and thus may contribute to removing polluted environment. The banks should go green and play
a pro-active role to take environmental and ecological aspects as part of their lending and investment
principle, which would direct industries to go for mandated investment for environmental management,
use of appropriate technologies and management systems.
