Bangladesh is committed to more inclusive green growth despite being the victim of climate change and climate change-related high carbon growth in the developed world, Atiur Rahman, governor of Bangladesh Bank, said yesterday.

Atiur spoke as a panel speaker at an event on 'Building Inclusive Green Economies: A New Development Partnership' on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 Summit) in Brazil.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany arranged the event.

The central bank chief urged the leaders of the developed world, including the ministers present at the event, to come up with creative options for more meaningful international cooperation and transfer of resources and technologies for inclusive green growth.

Atiur said Bangladesh has been successful in halving poverty over the past two decades and enhancing social development despite being on the receiving end of the climate change-related vulnerabilities.

He highlighted the complementary role of the central bank of Bangladesh in improving financial inclusion which has been providing necessary access to finance for the disadvantaged small entrepreneurs and marginal farmers.

Atiur also said Bangladesh is committed to pursuing low-carbon green development without compromising the imperative of faster economic growth and social development.

“Development strategies of the Bangladesh government laid down in the Perspective Plan and the Sixth Five Year Plan declare clear commitment to pursuing sustainable growth,” he said.

The country's vulnerability to floods, cyclones and inundation of large coastal areas from global warming driven sea-level rise makes sustainability a prime development concern.

Atiur appreciated the Rio+20 final document for reflecting the core aspiration of the people of the developing and least developed countries particularly as the place for inclusive green growth for poverty eradication. But he was not fully satisfied with the means of implementation as no firm commitment has been made for the transfer of resources and technologies for poorer countries.

World Resources Institute Interim President Manish Bapna moderated the event.

The Daily Star/Bangladesh/ 24th June 2012