Dr. Nusrat Hafiz,
Assistant Professor & WEC Director, BRAC Business School, BRAC University
Bangladesh has always been told a simple story: grow fast, grow cheap, grow first, clean later. But what if that story is already outdated?
What if the next wave of global competition is not about who produces the cheapest shirt, but who produces the smartest, cleanest, and most resilient one?
The real question today is not whether Bangladesh can afford sustainability. It is whether Bangladesh can afford not to.
Across the world, the rules of business are being quietly rewritten. In Europe, the circular economy now supports over 2.2 million jobs and continues to grow. More than 80 percent of major firms in advanced economies report financial gains from decarbonization, largely through efficiency and cost savings.
Renewable energy has reduced energy dependency in countries like Germany and Denmark, strengthening their industries rather than weakening them. Sustainability, once treated as moral responsibility, has become a powerful business strategy.
Bangladesh now stands at a turning point. We can remain trapped in a low-cost race, or we can convert sustainability into our next competitive advantage. The concept is simple but transformative: create economic value by solving societal problems. This is not charity. It is survival economics.
Waste: Bangladesh’s Hidden Goldmine
Bangladesh produces waste like every growing nation, but unlike many advanced economies, we still see it mostly as a burden. In the Netherlands, circular production saves billions by turning waste into raw material.
Sweden converts organic waste into energy. Bangladesh’s agriculture and textile sectors hold the same potential. Organic waste can become compost and biogas, and improving soil and reducing import dependency.
Textile recycling can protect our garment sector from rising raw material costs and tightening European environmental regulations. Waste, when reimagined, becomes wealth.
Energy: The Cheapest Power is the One Not Used
Japan and South Korea transformed their industries through energy efficiency, cutting costs while boosting productivity. Bangladesh’s factories, many still energy-intensive, can achieve similar gains.
Smart energy management, efficient machinery, and data-driven monitoring reduce electricity consumption and production losses.
Global buyers are increasingly choosing suppliers with transparent, low-carbon operations. Sustainability is no longer optional. It is a ticket to stay in global supply chains.
Water: The Silent Economic Risk
Water scarcity is often discussed as an environmental issue, but in truth it is an economic one. Israel and Singapore built strong economies despite limited water by investing in recycling and efficiency. Bangladesh, with rising climate pressure, must treat water security as production security.
Water-efficient textile processing and climate-smart agriculture protect both exports and livelihoods. Without water, industries stop. With smart water use, industries thrive.
Cities: The Untapped Green Economy
The global green construction market now exceeds USD 500 billion annually, driven by demand for clean energy, efficient buildings, and sustainable urban systems. Bangladesh’s rapidly expanding cities can turn congestion and pollution into opportunity.
Affordable green housing, rooftop solar, waste recycling, and clean transport can generate jobs while improving quality of life. Urban sustainability is not just environmental care. It is a new economic sector waiting to grow.
Digital Bangladesh: The Great Multiplier
Technology has helped countries like Estonia transform governance and economic efficiency. Bangladesh’s digital progress can do the same.
Farmers can access climate data, small businesses can secure green finance, and environmental monitoring can become transparent and efficient. Digital tools reduce waste, increase productivity, and make sustainability accessible across income groups.
The Quiet Power of Policy
In advanced economies, sustainability accelerated when governments moved from policing to enabling. Tax incentives for green investments, green bonds, and public-private partnerships financed major transitions. Bangladesh can replicate this logic.
Policies that reward circular production, renewable energy, and green innovation will encourage businesses to adopt smarter systems. Public procurement can create demand for sustainable materials and services, shaping the market itself.
Young Bangladeshi entrepreneurs are already building solutions in recycling, clean energy, and climate innovation. With the right ecosystem, they can transform sustainability from obligation to opportunity.
The Real Choice
Bangladesh’s history is one of turning constraints into strengths. We built a global garment industry with limited resources. We expanded digital connectivity faster than many richer nations. Now we face another strategic decision. Do we see sustainability as an expensive burden, or as the smartest path to competitiveness?
The world’s most resilient economies are not those that grow fastest in the short term, but those that grow wisely over time. Cleaner production reduces risk. Slower resource depletion secures long-term supply. Healthier communities strengthen productivity. Sustainability is not the enemy of growth. It is its insurance.
Bangladesh does not need to shout about green leadership. It can build it quietly, through smarter factories, circular agriculture, efficient cities, and inclusive digital systems. When businesses profit by solving social and environmental problems, shared value emerges naturally.
The global race has changed lanes. The future will belong not to the cheapest producers, but to the most intelligent ones. Bangladesh can either chase the past, or design the future.
