Abstract:
Inclusive Bangladesh Development (IBD) is a part of the Build Bangladesh initiative, which aims to invest in human capital to support the development of Bangladesh. The foundation of IBD is based on social empowerment, economic entrepreneurship, and environmental sustainability, which have been demonstrated through the work of the Impress Group's media stream, Channel I, over the last 16 years. Channel I's impact-based works include promoting agriculture, raising awareness of health and hygiene among young girls, supporting small and medium enterprises and social entrepreneurs, nurturing creative talent, developing educational games, supporting disadvantaged children and young people to become future leaders, providing basic skills development for girls from remote villages, and promoting the "spirit of Bangladesh". IBD has also been instrumental in influencing government policy through groundbreaking media journalism and issues-based discussion forums.
IBD has a not-for-profit role in nurturing and promoting skills development, social entrepreneurship, and awareness programs across Bangladesh. It operates countrywide and is politically and denominationally neutral. The organization provides opportunities for corporate sectors, global Bangladeshis, and individual investors to invest in human capital in Bangladesh through various best practice models such as Social Impact Bonds (SIB), Social Impact Investments (SII), including Corporate Social Impact Investment (CSII).
The Build Bangladesh theory of change is to transform participatory investment from across the globe into intelligence to complement and influence strategic policies, programs, and products through impact-based outcomes ensuring sustainability. The initiative is dedicated to implementing all its programs and projects through the lenses of inclusiveness, gender equality, climate change, and digital innovation. The key focus of Build Bangladesh is based around complementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Bangladesh Government's 8th Five-Year Plan. The work plan of Build Bangladesh is centered around key sectors such as intergenerational wellbeing, inclusive infrastructure development, impact investment, impact start-up, knowledge remittance, and the health sector.
