Initiative taken to form national forum for promoting social business

A national-level social business forum is set to be formed in Bangladesh, aiming to address pressing social challenges—particularly in the health sector—through innovative entrepreneurial solutions. The initiative gained momentum during the Bangladesh Country Forum, held on Monday at the conference room of the Integrated Development Foundation (IDF) as part of Social Business Day 2025. Over fifty organizations from diverse sectors expressed their commitment to form Social Business Forum, while institutions under the Grameen Group pledged their full cooperation to promote the vision of Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Zahirul Alam, Executive Director of IDF, has been entrusted with organizing this year’s Country Forum on behalf of Yunus Centre. The gathering brought together stakeholders from NGOs, microfinance institutions, academic and research organizations, the private sector, and young entrepreneurs. This year’s theme—“Social Business: A Powerful Tool to Ensure Universal Healthcare”—framed the discussions and presentations.

Several organizations, including Grameen Kalyan, Grameen Shukhee, Sajida Foundation, IDF, Center for Development Innovation and Practices (CDIP), BASA Foundation, and Dustha Swasthya Kendra (DSK), showcased their ongoing healthcare-focused social business initiatives. These presentations highlighted not only innovative approaches to community healthcare but also the structural barriers impeding progress. The ‘Three-Zero Club’ team also presented the concept, structure, and objectives of their initiative focused on achieving zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions.

In his keynote presentation, Zahirul Alam shared a proposal and an initial roadmap for expanding the scope of social business in Bangladesh. The proposal received unanimous support from participating organizations, who emphasized the need for a structured national platform. There was also a strong recommendation to establish a dedicated fund to support the scaling of social business ventures, especially those led by youth. A follow-up meeting was agreed upon to finalize the forum's structure and action plan.

“We see the social business model of Professor Muhammad Yunus being adopted across the globe, including in neighboring Nepal where a sustainable forum is already in place,” said Zahirul Alam. “Bangladesh must institutionalize this effort through a national forum. Creating a dedicated fund will not only ensure sustainability but also enable young entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions to the country’s social challenges.”

Nazneen Sultana, Executive Vice-Chairperson of Grameen Communications, expressed Grameen’s readiness to support the initiative: “Grameen is committed to providing any support necessary to expand social business across the country. We welcome collaboration from all stakeholders.”

Echoing the call for institutional engagement, North South University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury stated, “NGOs and microfinance institutions are well-positioned to promote the social business model. We also need to embrace digital tools to bring social business to people’s doorsteps. North South University is honored to host this year’s ‘Three-Zero Club’ session during Social Business Day.”

Sirajul Islam, Convener of the Country Forum and a practicing social entrepreneur, concluded, “We must undertake sustained efforts to promote social business in Bangladesh. The formation of this national forum will play a vital role in uniting our efforts and advancing this important agenda.”