PHOTO: EASTERN BANK

STAR BUSINESS DESK

Eastern Bank PLC (EBL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), a global leader in impact investing and sustainable finance, to collaborate on developing innovative, inclusive and sustainable finance solutions in Bangladesh.

Ahmed Shaheen, additional managing director of the bank, and Prof Durreen Shahnaz, founder and chief executive officer of the global company, signed the MoU at the bank’s head office in Dhaka recently, according to a press release.

Speaking on the occasion, Ahmed said, “This strategic partnership marks an important step in EBL’s journey to deepen financial inclusion and sustainability.

“By leveraging IIX’s global expertise and impact investing ecosystem, we aim to create innovative financing solutions that deliver meaningful social and environmental outcomes while generating long-term value for our stakeholders,” he added.

Prof Durreen said, “The Orange Movement continues to grow in both scale and conviction, and Bangladesh has emerged as one of its most promising chapters.”

“With each partner that comes on board, the ecosystem deepens, and the potential to mobilise meaningful capital expands. Eastern Bank PLC brings exactly the kind of institutional weight and market reach that accelerates this work from ambition into action.”

“We are confident this partnership will open new pathways for capital to reach the women and communities that sit at the heart of everything the Orange Movement stands for,” she added.

Under the partnership, EBL will leverage its strong banking franchise, extensive client network and expertise in sustainable finance, while benefiting from IIX’s global leadership in Orange Bonds and thematic impact investment instruments.

The collaboration aims to strengthen EBL’s capacity to structure innovative financing solutions, attract global impact capital and channel investments into initiatives that generate measurable social, environmental and economic impact.