CORPORATE Social Responsibility (CSR) engagement in Bangladesh has been expanding considerably, and partaking in socio-economic development. This contribution has been recognised in the national and international arenas. However, for holistic progress and development, we can also concentrate on Individual Social Responsibility (ISR), which can be characterised as the individual commitment that we need to accomplish for the betterment of the society. The society has given us infinite privileges and support for our own development. Today, many of us are in key positions in national, international, private or public sector. We are getting enormous benefits from the society. So, there is no scope to undermine the pertinent role society played in our development and professional progress.
Now, we need to remember this support from our respective positions. This recalling may encourage us to do something for the community. For instance, banks and other financial institutions in Bangladesh are providing scholarship to poor but meritorious students in higher secondary, tertiary education, and even for PhD researchers. The same activities can be done through individual initiatives providing both financial and non-financial support to students coming from very poor and underprivileged segment of the society.
We can establish a small foundation in commemoration of our parents or close relatives, and disburse funds to the senior citizens and needy people who cannot ask for help. We can even maintain waqf deposit account with banks with or without discharging the distribution of the profits generated from the principal amount. Above all, we must extend our hands towards our relatives who may be in real financial need. We ought to help them when they are hospitalised, or even in physically challenged condition. History teaches us that the greatest people in this universe have brought societal impact-oriented changes, in most cases through their individual initiatives coupled with commitment towards society. In fact, they did not consider a small territory, rather they worked for the greater community. As such, we can start our journey initially from our own community, where we grew up. We need to inculcate the belief that society can move forward quickly with our individual small contribution and involvement. Many types of institutions in Bangladesh are fulfilling their social responsibility, mostly in the form of profit redistribution to stakeholders. But the social progress and stirring of a poor country like Bangladesh can be accelerated with individuals' commitment and involvement along with corporate CSR engagement.  

The writer is a banker. Email: [email protected]