Eastern Bank Limited (EBL) has recently launched their 7th priority lounge and 62nd ATM booth in Westin Hotel at Gulshan, Dhaka. EBL chair Mr. Mohammad Noor Ali inaugurated the session. Manging Director and Chief Executive Mr. Ali Reza Iftekhar, Deputy Managing Dierector Mr. Mokhlesur Rahman, Chief of Priority Banking Mr. Sayeedul Amin and Chief of Marketing Sector Mr. Ziaul Karim were present in the ceremony along with other Senior officers.

                                                                                                Source: Prothom Alo, Bangladesh/11 Nov 2010

To avail of the Refinance Scheme under ADB Fund for SME sectors, a contract signing ceremony was held recently between Bangladesh Bank and AB Bank Limited. Mr. Md. Abul Kashem, Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank and Mr. Kaiser A. Chowdhury, President & Managing Director of AB Bank signed the contract on behalf of their respective organizations. Under patronization of ADB and from the SME Development Project undertaken by Bangladesh Government, a total of USD95 million Fund has been created. AB Bank Limited would utilize this fund to finance SME projects situated outside Dhaka and Chittagong Metropolitan areas. To streamline and strengthen the industrial development of the country, to institutionalize the activities of the SME Sector and to ensure access to finance, Bangladesh Bank with the assistance of ADB Fund is making such contract with different commercial banks and financial institutions to extend this facility. Among others present at the signing ceremony were Mr. Majedur Rahman, AMD and Mr. Moshiur Rahman Chowdhury, Head of SME Banking of AB Bank Limited and other senior officials from Bangladesh Bank.

                                                                 Source: The Financial Express/09 Nov 2010

JOYPURHAT, Oct 25: Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) Joypurhat zone has begun distribution of agri-loan for FY 2010-11. They have set up a target for loan disbursement Tk 7.0 billion and the recovery target is Tk 5.6 billion. The zonal office sources said, last year they disbursed Tk 6.0 billion while the target was Tk 6.2 billion and they recovered Tk 3.6 billion against the target of Tk 5.2 billion. Now the loan holders of all the branches in the zone were 34219 persons and all the disbursed loan were Tk 14.8 billion. According to the zonal office, they already have disbursed Tk 1.3 billion and recovered Tk 0.8 billion this year. The bank has set up the target to disburse the loan in SME for trading, service center, clinic, small manufacturing, cold storage, rice-paddy trading, fishery, poultry and dairy. Mohammad Abdul Waseque Manager of Joypurhat Zonal office said they disbursed agri-loan among poor farmers and poultry growers specially. They emphasise to SME, poultry, dairy and spices. He added, they have set up a poultry village in Jamalganj area under Joypurhat Sadar and Akkelpur Upazila, a fishery village in Panchbibi Upazila and taking initiative to set up a dairy village at Dhalaher UP area under sadar upazila. He also added taking loan from RAKUB, the poultry growers of Jamalganj poultry village has done well. They have made them solvent to rear the chickens. So he encourage the poor poultry farmer and general farmer taking agri-loan to cultivate their arable land and other activities to develop their farm. Source: The Financial Express/26 Oct 2010