"We'll not support growth at the cost of inflation," says governor Fazle Kabir

The central bank unveiled Wednesday country's monetary policy for July-December period targeting 12.9 per cent expansion in money supply.

It described the expansion "accommodative" with the projected economic growth for the current financial year, but economists found the stance 'cautious'.

Broad money, which includes demand deposits with commercial banks, and any monies held in easy-accessible accounts, has been programmed up to December to grow 12.9 per cent.

And up to June next, the rate rises 1.0 percentage point to 13.9 per cent.

Such monetary stance is in keeping with the targeted gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 7.4 per cent, set in the national budget for the current fiscal year (FY) 2017-18, the Bangladesh Bank said.

Reserve money, whose components are currency in circulation, bankers' deposits with the central bank and other deposits with the Bangladesh Bank, has been programmed at 12 per cent up to June.

The money circulation from now on will be estimated on annual-average basis instead of point-to-point basis.

Public-sector-credit growth, which had plunged into a negative 16 per cent up to last May, now has been projected to expand at 3.8 per cent up to December and much higher at 12.1 per cent at the end of the financial year as the government may need funds for non-implementation of the VAT Act 2012.

However, the Bangladesh Bank Governor, Fazle Kabir, while delivering his speech at the MPS- launching programme at the BB headquarters, said this monetary-policy stance is growth- supportive as well as conducive to employment.

"We'll not support growth at the cost of inflation," said the governor, whose bank reigns over the country's monetary system.      

Mr. Fazle Kabir, however, sees two challenges in executing the MPS: higher yields on national savings certificates and falling trend in remittance by the country's expatriate nationals.

He suggests the yields on the savings certificates should be consistent with the market rates.  And for augmenting the remittance inflows through formal channels the central bank is working on effective ways.

The governor feels no need for changes in the policy rates for the time being-the central bank will take instant measures if necessary.

He notices an upturn in food inflation on the back of floods in northeastern haor areas. "We expect inflation will remain tolerable as India has less than 2.0 per cent inflation along with low prices of some key commodities on the global market."

Mr. Kabir said the central bank will facilitate 'angel' investment in the country to help the small startups or innovative entrepreneurs.

He said the venture-capital firms were seen not interested about the startups. "Even India is facilitating angel investment, so why not in the country."

Islami Bank Bangladesh Managing Director and CEO Md Abdul Hamid Miah speaks at a get-together organised by Pabna Branch of Islami Bank at a hotel in Pabna on Monday.

Pabna Branch of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited organised a get-together for Pabna region at a hotel in Pabna on Monday.

Md. Abdul Hamid Miah, Managing Director and CEO of the bank addressed the programme as chief guest, said a press release.

 Abu Reza Md.

Yeahia, Deputy Managing Director and Zafar Alam, Executive Vice President addressed the programme as special guest.

Presided over by Md. Kawsar-ul-Alam, executive vice president and Head of Rajshahi Zone, Alhaj Abdul Latif  Biswas, President of Pabna Chamber of Commerce, Shamsur Rahman Manik, President of North Bengal Truck were present on the occasion.

Shahjalal Islami Bank Head of Business Development Division Mustaque Ahmed and BASIS standing committee Chairman Delowar Hossain Faruk are seen signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Shahjalal Islami Bank’s head office at Gulshan in the capital on Tuesday.

Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited and Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Shahjalal Islami Bank’s head office at Gulshan on Tuesday.

Under this agreement the members of BASIS get investment facility for competitive terms from Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited, said a press release.

On the other hand the clients will purchase product from BASIS member they also get the same facility and the SME/Corporate Clients of the Bank will be able to purchase software on discount from BASIS.

In presence of the Managing Director of the Bank Farman R Chowdhury, Head of Business Development and Liability Marketing Division Mustaque Ahmed and the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Members Welfare of BASIS Delowar Hossain Faruk signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of their respective organisations.

Among others Additional Managing Director of Shahjalal Islami Bank M. Shahidul Islam, Deputy Managing Directors M.

Akhter Hossain, Head of Human Resource Division Md. Nazimuddoula were also present on the occasion.

Bangladesh Bank has kept the policy rates unchanged to control inflation and increase remittance in the monetary policy statement (MPS) for the first half of the current fiscal year.

It has lowered the credit growth targets for both private and public sectors and recommended adjustment of interest rates of banks and national saving certificates (NSC).

 BB Governor Falze Kabir unveiled the MPS at the head office of the central bank in the capital on Wednesday when he expressed the authorities’ concern over the fall in remittance and higher interest rates of NSC.

 Referring to the decline in government’s borrowing from the banking sources by 16.2 percent in the last FY and greater dependence on saving instruments, he said the high interest on saving certificates will increase burden on the government.

 The policy statement has cut target of overall credit growth to 15.8 percent for the July-December period of the current FY from last half year’s target of 16.5 percent and achievement of 16.1 percent.

 The governor said a major focus of the policy statement is to check inflation.

 “We’re experiencing uptrend in food price mostly caused by the recent flashflood... The inflation came down to 5.44 at end of the last FY from 5.80 percent in the previous FY.

The central bank has set a target to keep the figure below 5.5 percent in FY 18,” Fazle Kabir said.

 Bangladesh Bank has decided to maintain policy rates unchanged at its current level with repo rate keeping at 6.75 percent and reverse repo at 4.75 percent.

 Repo rate is the rate at which the central bank lends against government securities and reverse repo rate is the rate at which the central bank borrows money from commercial banks within the country.

 “The central bank’s policy interest rates will continue to remain unchanged at the current levels due to the increase in food inflation and downward trend of remittance inflow,” said Fazle Kabir.

 The central bank in the new MPS has set the growth target at 16.3 percent for private sector credit and 12.1 percent for public sector credit.

 The governor highlighted the central bank’s role in the capital market.

 “BB closely monitors the operation of capital market subsidiaries of banks and has found that they operate within the statutory limit on the capital market exposures for their parent banks,” he said.

 In the MPS, the BB authorities expressed their concern over the increase in non-performing loans (NPLs).

  “For provisioning the NPLs, the banks make burden for the general borrowers. Elevated NPL constrain the transmission of any changes in the short term rates to the lending rates faced by the borrowers,” according to the statement.

 It expressed the hope that the continued supervision and corporate governance will lead to lower NPLs.

 The governor assured that the suspension of new law on value added tax will not negatively affect the implementation of MPS if revenue collection can maintain 19 percent growth.

Shah Syed Abdul Bari, DMD of National Bank Limited, addressing the foundation course for its officers at the banks training institute in the city recently. Shah Syed Rafiul Bari, Vice-President of the bank was also present