Abu Taher Mohammad Saleh, Director General of IBTRA, seen at a training course at Islami Bank Training and Research Academy (IBTRA) in Dhaka recently

Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited (SJIBL) organised a twenty-day foundation training course on Islamic banking for its officers at Islami Bank Training and Research Academy (IBTRA) in Dhaka recently.

Abu Taher Mohammad Saleh, Director General of IBTRA, presided over the training course, said a press release.

Sahazada Syed Nizamuddin Ahmed, Chairman of Audit Committee of Standard Bank, presides over a meeting at the bank's head office in Dhaka recently.

The 50th meeting of the audit committee of the board of directors of Standard Bank Limited was held at the bank's head office in Dhaka recently.

Sahazada Syed Nizamuddin Ahmed, Chairman of Audit Committee of the bank, presided over the meeting, said a press release.

Kamal Mostafa Chowdhury, Ashok Kumar Saha, Md Zahidul Haque and Md Fayekuzzaman, members of the committee and directors, attended the meeting.

Al-hajj Akram Hussain (Humayun), Chairman, Board of Directors of Mercantile Bank Limited, speaks at the 14th AGM of the bank at a hotel in Dhaka on Saturday.

The 14th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Mercantile Bank Limited was held at Hotel Ruposhi Bangla in Dhaka on Saturday.

Al-hajj Akram Hussain (Humayun), Chairman of Board of Directors of Mercantile Bank Limited presided over the meeting said a press release.

The AGM approved 7 percent cash and 8 percent stock dividend and also approved the profit and loss account, balance sheet of the bank for the year 2012.

A large number of shareholders attended the AGM.

Speaking at the AGM, Akram Hussain said, the success of the bank is the result of co-operation and support of its shareholders, clients, central bank and other regulatory bodies. He thanked all for their co-operation to achieve the success.

The bank will be able to face the challenges of the 21st century by developing the quality of its services and also by raising skill of human resources side by side utilising the highest technology and minimizing risks.

ASM Feroz Alam, Vice Chairman, Md Anwarul Haque, Chairman Executive Committee, R A Hawlader, Chairman, Audit Committee, Rena Jalil, MD and CEO, M Ehsanul Haque, AMD, Md Abdul Jalil Chowdhury and Monindra Kumar Nath, DMD of the bank, attended.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman and Deputy Governor SK Sur Chowdhury, are seen at a function on digitisation of the central bank in Dhaka Saturday.

In line with the government’s target for digitising Bangladesh towards poverty alleviation, Bangladesh Bank (BB) is implementing many innovative initiatives to build a countrywide modern technology-based, efficient and more secure banking system.

The initiatives of the central bank already brought various banking services in 19 major areas under automation. These include introduction of Bangladesh Automated Clearing House (BACH), Bangladesh Electronic Fund Transfer Network (BEFTN), online CIB service, banking application, enterprise resource planning (ERP), e-tendering, e-recruiting, e-commerce, online dashboard reporting system, national payment system, large loan monitoring software, import export and remittance monitoring system, open data initiative, online transactions of prize bond and savings certificate, online bond market, mobile banking, internet and online banking and PayPal for remitting income from outsourcing.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the digitization initiatives at a programme in the city Saturday.

BB on October 10, 2010 launched the automated clearing and settlement of interbank cheques and electronic transactions to address the growing demand for a fast, secure and state-of-the art payment system in the country’s banking sector. The automated clearing system helps individuals and businesses to settle their transactions faster, which eventually quicken the financial activities and thus business and return as well.

Introduced on February 28, 2011, BEFTN is also a critical component in the development of a modern payment system infrastructure, which facilitates a wide variety of credit transfer applications such as payroll, foreign and domestic remittance, company dividends, bill payments, corporate salary payments, tax payments and payments for many government fees and allowances and person to person debit transfer.

Currently, 37 out of total 47 banks are offering online and internet banking services to their customers.

Introduction of online CIB (credit information bureau) report on July 19, 2011 offers banks, financial institutions and entrepreneurs furnish necessary credit information at anytime around the year.

Mobile banking takes to the banking services to grassroots level where many people had long been deprived of the institutional financial services. Following the issuance of the guideline for mobile financial services by BB on September 22, 2012, many banks started providing this service 24 hours a day and seven days a week with partnership of mobile phone operators.

Many firms have started selling various products and services online after the central bank introduced e-commerce.

Introduction of e-tendering and e-recruiting has made more transparent of the tendering and recruiting process of the central bank. 

An official of Prime bank Limited, voluntarily donates blood for better treatment of the victims of Savar “Rana Plaza” tragedy at the bank’s office opremises in Dhaka recently. Md. Shirajul Islam Mollah, Chairman of PBL inaugurated the blood donation campaign.

Prime Bank Limited expressed deep sympathy to the victims and their families of Savar “Rana Plaza” tragedy took place on 24 April.

The management of Prime Bank Limited has decided to help the victims and their families by contributing one day’s basic salary of all the employees of the bank as donation, said a press release.

The bank organized a voluntary blood donation campaign on 27th April at the office premises of the bank to collect blood for better treatment of the victims of Savar “Rana Plaza” tragedy.

Chairman of the Prime Bank Md. Shirajul Islam Mollah inaugurated the campaign. Employees of the Prime Bank participated in the voluntary blood donation campaign.

Managing Director& CEO of Prime Bank Md. Ehsan Khasru, Deputy Managing Directors, Ahmed Kamal Khan Chowdhury, Kanti Kumar Saha and Quazi ASM Anisul Kabir and Chief Executive Officer of Prime Bank Foundation Dr. Iqbal Anwar were also present.