South Asian financial institutions advance green and sustainable bond initiatives

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) have opened applications for technical assistance regarding Green, Social, Sustainable and Sustainability Linked (GSS+) bond listings. Selected issuers will receive no-cost support for framework development, Second Party Opinion coordination, and impact reporting. This initiative follows previous efforts in Sri Lanka that mobilized over USD 110 million for climate-aligned investments.

In Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has approved bond issuances totaling Tk3,900 crore from five banks. The approvals aim to strengthen capital bases and support green financing. Notable issuances include a Tk1,000 crore zero-coupon green bond from BRAC Bank and a Tk800 crore sustainable subordinated bond from Bank Asia. Other participating institutions include One Bank, Southeast Bank, and Al-Arafah Islami Bank, with proceeds intended to bolster Tier-II capital under Basel III regulations.