IMPACT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ACTIVITIES IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT- A STUDY ON SELECTED COMMERCIAL BANKS IN BANGLADESH

It is needless to mention that more than half of the peoples of Bangladesh are living rural areas and these villages are in a state of neglect and underdevelopment with impoverished people. The problems of hunger, ignorance, ill health, high mortality and illiteracy are most acute in rural areas. This is not only because of shortage of material resources, but also because of defects in our planning process and investment pattern. In this connection, the purpose of this study was to explore corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices followed by the commercial banks and its impact on the rural development in Bangladesh. For this purpose ten banks have shortlisted to study their CSR practices in the context of rural development. The study based on secondary data. Secondary data of the study have been relying on the web based research, review of print literature and discussion with the team engaged in the CSR initiatives. The study found that all surveyed banks present themselves as having CSR policy and practices. Most of the banks, which design and implement CSR initiatives in the vicinity of their works cover entire community.