Experts at a program on Monday laid emphasis on establishing green factories, plants, and other industrial enterprises for achieving sustainable economic growth.
They also urged the authorities concerned to take necessary steps for raising awareness among the people about green infrastructures, making the green-technology available, and providing the entrepreneurs with financial support for promoting environment-friendly businesses in the country.
They made the suggestion at a dialogue on environment-friendly business innovation and green financing ahead of the 'Eighth Bangladesh Industrial Innovation and Development (BIID) Expo and Dialogue 2017' to be held in the city next year.
CEO of Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited (BIFFL) SM Formanul Islam, general manager of Bangladesh Bank Manoj Kumar Biswas, and chairman of Sustainable & Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) Md. Anwarul Islam Sikder attended the pre-summit dialogue among others.
Speaking on the occasion, Manoj Kumar Biswas said the country cannot achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) without making the businesses green. "The businesses overlooking the environment aspect cannot sustain for long," he said.
He also underscored the need for innovation to help expand green businesses.
The central bank has been supporting green businesses through setting up a special fund of Tk 2.0 billion, he added.
Anwarul Islam said the present government is very attentive to encouraging more use of renewable and sustainable energy like solar and wind power for domestic power generation.
"We want to provide 20 percent of power supply from renewable sources by the year 2030," he said.
An energy efficiency master plan has also been formulated already, said the SREDA chairman.
A private event management company Exponent Exhibition will organize the BIID Expo and Dialogue 2017 in association with SREDA.
The exponent's managing director Rashedul Haque said the exhibition will take place at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) from March 2 to 4 next year.
He said the event will help government, nongovernment, local, and international entities to experience the global green technology trend, green financing, energy conservation, green establishment, and safety.
The organizers informed that more than 180 companies from 14 countries will participate in the upcoming expo to display the latest green technology and services.