Title: Green fiscal reform in the context of Bangladesh: a scoping exercise

Authors: A.K.M. Nazrul Islam; Jishan Ara Mitu

Addresses: Dhaka School of Economics (DScE), University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh ' Dhaka School of Economics (DScE), University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

Abstract: Attaining environmentally sound development is a legal commitment according to the article 18(a) of the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. With this obligation in mind, Bangladesh has formulated the 7th Five Year Plan, where a major objective has been to ensure higher economic growth. Besides, Bangladesh being a signatory of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also needs to design and implement sustainable development practices in its economic activities. Against this backdrop, a scoping exercise has been conducted to assess the possibility of designing a green fiscal reform policy for Bangladesh to attain higher economic growth with environmental sustainability. It is understood that inappropriate fiscal and weak enforcement mechanisms are the major causes of environmental degradations in the country. The paper suggests the need for undertaking a reform in the existing fiscal mechanism to make country's economic progresses lasting and equitable.

Keywords: higher growth; green fiscal mechanism; environmental fiscal reforms; green tax; sustainable development; equitable economic progress.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGE.2017.089857

International Journal of Green Economics, 2017 Vol.11 No.3/4, pp.289 - 309

Received: 10 Jan 2017
Accepted: 11 Dec 2017
Published online: 13 Feb 2018 *

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