Bangladesh Envoy Backs Social Business to Boost Investment

Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, today emphasized the power of social business as an innovative mechanism for mobilizing private investment toward sustainable development goals.

Speaking at a panel discussion during the ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development (FFD Forum) at the UN Headquarters, Ambassador Chowdhury highlighted how social business aligns private capital with positive social outcomes.

He cited the model pioneered by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, where businesses prioritize social impact over personal profit. This approach, he noted, has successfully empowered women, supported marginalized communities, and tackled challenges in food security, healthcare, education, and renewable energy.

“Bangladesh’s experience demonstrates that social business can be a powerful driver of inclusive and sustainable development,” he said, according to a press release.

The ambassador also called for broader support for innovative financing tools, urging the creation of an enabling environment through policies, blended finance mechanisms, and risk mitigation strategies.

Ambassador Chowdhury is leading Bangladesh’s interministerial delegation to the FFD Forum and the Fourth Preparatory Committee Meeting for the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), where Bangladesh expects to participate at the highest level.