DHAKA,  – Standard Chartered Bank has arranged the first Green Zero-Coupon Bond in Bangladesh for Sajida Foundation. The proceeds of the bond will be utilised to finance lending to different environment-friendly and energy efficient initiatives of the micro-credit and SME clients of Sajida Foundation which face value is Taka 1,000 million, said a press release here today.

The announcement was made at a ceremony arranged at the head office of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) on Sunday. Professor Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam, chairman of BSEC, attended the function as the chief guest while Zahida Fizza Kabir, chief executive officer of Sajida Foundation, Naser Ezaz Bijoy, chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bank, Bangladesh and other senior executives of the organisations were present, among others.

Sajida Foundation will use the proceeds to finance expansion of their microcredit and SME lending portfolio through investing in new and existing projects with environmental benefits. The issuance of this security will provide Sajida Foundation with an alternative source of fund, compared to a conventional term loan. Standard Chartered was the mandated lead arranger for the transaction.

Naser Ezaz Bijoy said: “Bangladesh has achieved remarkable progress over the last decade. Yet, to achieve our collective ambition of transforming into a high-income country by 2041 while building resilience to climate change and other delta challenges, more of business-as-usual will not be enough. Green finance holds verdant possibilities for the next phase of our growth journey.”

“We congratulate Sajida Foundation on this landmark transaction. We are grateful to Prof Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam, under whose far-sighted guidance Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission is leading the way for Green Finance in Bangladesh,” he added.

Prof Rubayat-Ul-Islam said: “Green bonds have the potential to become powerful financial tools in creating positive climate action for Bangladesh, with the growing demand for investments addressing climate risks. We commend Sajida Foundation and Standard Chartered for leading the way for green finance in the MSME sector, setting a milestone in the development of vibrant green bond market in Bangladesh.”

Standard Chartered is leading the debt capital market in Bangladesh as well as an acknowledged global leader in Asia, Africa and Middle East. Since pioneering in 1997, the capital markets unit of Standard Chartered Bank has put together over USD 7.00 Billion equivalent local and foreign currency syndicated loan or debt facilities in Power, Telecommunication, Infrastructure, Food and Beverage, Textile, Service and other key sectors.