Council soon to finalise CSR policy

State minister for finance and planning MA Mannan on Wednesday said the government is planning to form a national council to finalise the corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy.

"The finance ministry has received inputs from all ministries, business associations and policy research institutes to draft guidelines on CSR in Bangladesh," he said addressing a seminar at Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) in the city, said a press release.

DCCI and Social Responsibility Asia Bangladesh jointly organised the seminar titled "Propagating CSR Projects by Corporate in Bangladesh."

MA Mannan said a strong and effective institutional mechanism involving all stakeholders, including public representatives across the country, government and bureaucracy, private sector, civil society, knowledge community and development partners, is require for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Among others, DCCI president Abul Kasem Khan, SR Asia Bangladesh country director Sumaya Rashid and Dhaka University's Sociology department professor ASM Amanullah addressed at the seminar.

Abul Kasem Khan said CSR can be referred as organizational commitment to a certain community aiming at massive welfare which reaps rippled and sustainable socio-economic benefits for others in a society.

"CSR can strongly act as catalyst and facilitate the SDG targets-led cherished economic visions of emerging Bangladesh," he added.

He urged the government to finalize National CSR Guideline or policy and CSR Act.

Sumaya Rashid said a CSR guideline will help corporate houses to expedite their CSR activities more.

"In Bangladesh, CSR initiatives are taken in a very scattered manner, but we need to focus on its sustainability and its impact assessment," she added.