Dhaka, July 21, 2025–Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), a pioneer in gender-lens investing, and BRAC EPL Investments Limited, a leading investment bank in Bangladesh, have announced a strategic partnership to to jointly develop and promote the ecosystem for Orange Bond, Orange Sukuk, and other thematic sustainable finance instruments in Bangladesh. Drawing on IIX’s international expertise and BRAC EPL Investments’s deep-rooted market leadership, the partnership is expected to develop sustainable financial markets in Bangladesh, driving gender equality, climate resilience, and inclusive growth.
With Bangladesh’s transition to a middle-income country status expected by 2026, the nation stands at a pivotal point of development, with challenges arising from a reducing access to concessional capital, preferential debt, and aid. The impact of this may be particularly pronounced on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and critical community-focused businesses and projects, including women-led SMEs, which contribute approximately 27% to the nation’s GDP. Enhanced global and domestic investments in gender economic empowerment and equality will be critical for ensuring a resilient and inclusive transition.
Orange Bonds, symbolising the colour of UND SDG5: Gender Equality, are the world’s first cross-cutting asset class designed to unlock international capital to support key sector value chains, such as Agriculture, Ready-made Garments (RMG), financial services, Infrastructure, and the MSMEs in Bangladesh. The bonds are guided by the Orange Bond Principles™, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and comply with the International Capital Market Association’s Green Bond Principles, Social Bond Principles, and Sustainability Bond Guidelines.
To develop and promote Orange Bonds and Sukuk in Bangladesh, IIX and BRAC EPL Investments will collaborate on several fronts, including supporting the readiness of potential bond issuers, coordinating domestic and international investor outreach, engaging with regulators to foster a supportive investment environment, advising on complementary thematic financial instruments (e.g., green, social, and sustainability), providing technical and advisory assistance, and raising awareness and engagement.
Prof Durreen Shahnaz, Founder and CEO of IIX, said: “Bringing Orange Bonds and Sukuk to Bangladesh is not just about innovative finance, but represents a powerful driver for empowering women and communities and transforming entire underserved sectors in the country. By mobilizing significant international and domestic capital towards gender and climate outcomes, the Orange instruments will drive systemic change for a more inclusive and sustainable future for Bangladesh while developing the nation’s capital markets for sustained access to market-based financing”
Syed Rashed Hussain, CEO of BRAC EPL Investments, added: “As a climate-vulnerable nation with a significant number of SME and women-led enterprises, Bangladesh can benefit from Orange Bonds, sustainable bonds, and other impact-investment instruments. Supportive policies and regulations, a strong impact ecosystem, and the involvement of key stakeholders can help attract global impact investors, fund inclusive growth, and unlock greater value for Bangladesh.”
This landmark partnership between IIX and BRAC EPL Investments marks a critical step toward positioning Bangladesh as a regional leader in sustainable finance and thematic bonds. The collaboration will unlock new pathways for channeling capital toward women, women-led enterprises, and underserved communities, ensuring the country’s transition to middle-income status becomes a springboard for sustainable and equitable growth.
About IIX
Since 2009, Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) has been a pioneer in the global impact investing movement, reshaping finance for sustainable development with a focus on gender equality and climate action through capital mobilization and data-driven solutions. From establishing the Impact Partners™ platform and creating the Women’s Livelihood Bond™ Series, (which includes seven publicly listed bonds), to launching the Impact Institute™ and Research & Advisory, our work spans 60 countries where we have mobilized nearly US$500 million in private-sector capital, positively impacted over 160 million lives, avoided more than 1.9 million metric tons of carbon emissions, and collected over 90,000+ data points on sustainable micro, small, and medium enterprises.
About BRAC EPL Investments
BRAC EPL Investments Limited is a leading investment bank in Bangladesh owned by BRAC Bank PLC and BRAC. BRAC EPL Investments has over two decades of experience in the Capital Market and is renowned for its innovative investment banking transactions. In line with our vision to provide innovative, pioneering and world-class sustainable investment banking solutions, BBRAC EPL InvestmentsEIL worked as the Issue Manager in the first IPO of a greenfield company; the first IPO with a green shoe option; the first IPO under the book building method; and the first power sector Bond IPO. In addition, BRAC EPL Investments was the Arranger for raising the syndicated working capital facility for the first PPP project in Bangladesh. As a proud member of the BRAC family, we firmly believe in sustainable business practices and processes. In our understanding, profit and growth are not sustainable in the modern world without taking care of the environment, community and society first.