GET IN TOUCH
- Please wait...
LightCastle Partners, collaborated with CARE Bangladesh and DevLearn to organize a two-day conference titled “The Next Frontier.” The event brought together representatives from government institutions, the banking sector, private enterprises, and development organizations to explore how the private sector can contribute to Bangladesh’s future development.
The conference convened key voices from the corporate, policy, and development sectors, opening with insights from Bijon Islam, Founder & CEO of LightCastle Partners, who highlighted the private sector’s potential to shape inclusive development.
From the policy front, Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur, Governor of Bangladesh Bank, emphasized the need to reform outdated revenue collection systems, pointing out that while Bangladesh’s development budget still depends on external aid, private sector investment and foreign financing can play a vital role in bridging funding gaps.
From the development sector, Ram Das, Country Director of CARE Bangladesh, highlighted that when conviction-driven capital merges tradition with technology and focuses on market expansion, the outcome is not only economic growth but also meaningful social impact.
Closing the event, Embet Mena, Deputy Country Director (Programs) of CARE Bangladesh, stressed the urgency of empowering youth through collaboration among companies, government, and development organizations, ensuring that no young person in the country is left behind.
Across sessions, participants underscored the importance of moving beyond traditional corporate social responsibility to align mainstream business strategies with Bangladesh’s national development goals and sustainability agenda.
Day One of the conference featured discussions on:
Day Two centered on a roundtable titled “Ecosystem Blueprint: Collaboration for a Circular Future,” co-facilitated by Miskat Arif (Senior Business Consultant, LightCastle Partners) and Nayeem Kashem (DevLearn). The session brought together expertise from multiple sectors to reflect on grassroots realities and explore collaborative opportunities across agriculture, technology, employment, environment, and finance.
Among the diverse participants were A.K.M. Fahim Mashroor (BDjobs), Ahmed Zubaer Mahbub (Bangladesh Bank), Ashim Rahman (Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Hasibul Mannan (ACI Agribusiness), Shamima Akhter (Unilever Bangladesh), Ziaur Rahman (H&M), and Ashiqul Alam (HSBC), underscoring the breadth of perspectives represented at the table. Together, they identified inclusive pathways for sustainable solutions.
The conference emphasized the importance of developing trusted partnerships between NGOs and the private sector to reduce reliance on foreign aid and strengthen sustainable development initiatives. CARE Bangladesh shared its operational experience and collaborative capacity in this context.
The Next Frontier created space for meaningful dialogue on how Bangladesh can better align private sector innovation with national development priorities. By bringing diverse voices together, the initiative highlighted the potential of cross-sector collaboration to drive inclusive growth and long-term sustainability.
It provided an opportunity to contribute to a national dialogue on aligning business strategies with development priorities. The discussions reaffirmed the commitment to working across sectors to design approaches that support inclusive and sustainable growth for Bangladesh.
Our experts can help you solve your unique challenges
