Dhaka Stock Exchange PLC (DSE) and Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) signed a memorandum of understanding on Saturday to introduce and promote Orange capital instruments in Bangladesh’s capital market, according to a press release.
Under the agreement, DSE will explore facilitating the listing of Orange Bonds and Sukuk under a dedicated thematic or sustainable finance category, subject to regulatory approval.
DSE Managing Director Nuzhat Anwar and IIX Founder and CEO Durreen Shahnaz signed the MoU at the DSE board room.
The partnership combines IIX’s global experience in impact investing and gender-lens finance with DSE’s role in capital market development to advance an inclusive, gender-smart and climate-aligned ecosystem.
The Orange Movement, linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) on gender equality, seeks to mobilise $10 billion globally at the intersection of gender equality and climate action.
“Capital markets play a vital role in channeling long-term finance toward national development priorities,” said DSE Managing Director Nuzhat Anwar.
“Our collaboration with IIX reflects DSE’s commitment to deepening the market and supporting sustainable financial instruments that deliver measurable social and environmental outcomes alongside financial returns,” she said.
IIX Founder and CEO Durreen Shahnaz said Bangladesh is at a critical juncture in aligning financial markets with inclusive economic growth priorities.
“By integrating global best practices and standards, the Orange Movement can help attract international investors to Bangladesh and establish stronger global financial linkages,” she said.
The MoU includes joint advocacy, market promotion and capacity-building initiatives including workshops, investor engagement programmes and policy dialogues with regulators, financial institutions and development partners.
All activities will be conducted in accordance with Bangladesh’s regulatory framework and subject to oversight by relevant authorities, the release said.
Among those present were IIX Director Debashish Roy, BRAC EPL Investment Head of Corporate Advisory Arup Datta, BRAC EPL Investment CEO Syed Rashed Hossain, DSE Chief Operating Officer Mohammad Asadur Rahman, DSE Chief Technology Officer Md Asifur Rahman, DSE Chief Financial Officer Md Abid Hossain Khan, DSE Chief Regulatory Officer Acting Mohammad Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan and DSE Deputy General Manager Saied Mahmud Zubayer.
