LightCastle Partners Hosts High-Level Dissemination on Access to Finance for Bangladesh’s RMG Sector

From the report

On October 29, 2026, LightCastle Partners, in collaboration with Policy Exchange Bangladesh, hosted a high-level dissemination event titled “Unlocking Green Finance Pathways for Bangladesh’s RMG Sector” at a hotel in Dhaka. The event was organized under the Oporajita – Collective Impact on Future of Work: Just Transition for Women in the RMG Ecosystem Phase 2 initiative, part of Bunon 2030. The initiative is supported by the H&M Foundation, co-funded by Sweden and COS, with The Asia Foundation serving as the backbone organization.

The event brought together representatives from BGMEA, IDCOL, the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, the International Labour Organization (ILO), The Asia Foundation, EuroCham Bangladesh, financial institutions, industry stakeholders, and development organizations. Discussions centered on expanding access to affordable green finance and identifying practical financing solutions to accelerate sustainable investments in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector.

The session opened with a keynote presentation by Shoumik Shahriar, Principal Business Consultant and Portfolio Manager at LightCastle Partners. He highlighted an estimated USD 4.8 billion financing gap between 2025 and 2029, against a total investment requirement of USD 6.6 billion to achieve a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. He also outlined key barriers to accessing green finance, emphasizing the need for tailored financial instruments, risk-sharing mechanisms, and stronger institutional coordination to translate available capital into tangible, factory-level investments.