BIBM, Frankfurt School to train bankers on sustainable finance

In a first in the country, the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM), in collaboration with Germany’s Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, has recently launched an international certification course to train Bangladeshi bankers on sustainable finance.

The course, titled ‘Certified Expert on Sustainable Finance’ course was launched on Wednesday, said a press statement.

It aims to strengthen the capacity of the bankers and associated key stakeholders on international and national practices on sustainable finance and the role of the financial sector towards a low carbon and more sustainable economic development of Bangladesh.

According to the press statement, the course is being financed by the bilateral project ‘Improved Coordination of International Climate Finance (ICICF) project’, which is being jointly implemented by Ministry of Finance’s Economic Relations Division (ERD) and GIZ Bangladesh.

Furthermore, the ICICF project is supporting the Bangladesh Bank in implementing the Sustainable Finance Policy in the banking sector through capacity straightening of the financial sector officials and encouraging climate investments from the private sector.

The launching ceremony was held at the BIBM Auditorium on Wednesday.

Sharifa Khan, secretary, ERD graced the occasion as the chief guest while Florian Höllen, head of Development Cooperation, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dhaka and Ahmed Jamal, chairman, BIBM Executive Committee & Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank, were present at the event as special guests.

Speaking on the occasion ERD Secretary Sharifa Khan said, “To address the effects of climate change, the gap between the amounts of climate finance required and the availability of funds from the public and private sector is very high.”

She stated that the government allocates huge funding for addressing climate change from its financial resources and acknowledged the efforts of the central bank in mobilising sustainable investments, yet more funding is needed from the private sector.

Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor Ahmed Jamal reassured the regulator’s full support in mobilising more finance for sustainable investments enouraged the private sector to make sustainable investments strategies.

Florian Höllen, head of Development Cooperation, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dhaka, highlighted his satisfaction towards ERD and GIZ supporting this excellent institutional arrangement between Frankfurt School, one of the top financial schools of Europe and BIBM, the top training institution for bankers in Bangladesh.

The Certified Expert in Sustainable Finance (CESF-BF) programme will consist of two modules - six-month online with Frankfurt School and three-month on-campus with BIBM.

A total of 25 bankers have been selected for the first pilot batch and the academic costs for the first batch are waived through the ICICF Project.