Prime Bank South Zone remained firmly on course to the title of Bangladesh Cricket League after they took a commanding position in their third and final game against Islami Bank East Zone in Chittagong on Tuesday. Needing only a draw to secure the title, Prime Bank gained a sizable 138-run first innings lead and then stretched their lead to 369 after reaching 231-4 in their second innings at close on the third day. With only a day to play, the chance for Islami Bank to deny Prime the title appeared bleak as they need an outright win to repeat their success in the one-day version of the tournament. Replying to Prime Bank’s 385, Islami Bank resumed their first innings on the third day on 159-3 but lost wickets at regular intervals to be dismissed for 247 runs. Alok Kapali, who was unbeaten on 18, fell in the very first over adding just two runs to his overnight score and he was quickly followed by fellow overnight batsman Shadman Islam. Shadman added just one to his overnight 86 before he was dragged out of crease by veteran Abdur Razzak for a stumping. Apart from Abul Hasan, who made 50 off 82 balls, no other batsman could provide any resistance as two national team discards Sohag Gazi (4-62) and Al-Amin Hossain (3-45) shared seven wickets between them. Prime Bank had enough time to consolidate their position in the second innings and they used it to the fullest despite losing opener Imrul Kayes for a duck in the third ball of the innings. Other opener Anamul Haque struck 70 before Soumya Sarkar added an unbeaten 75 alongside Mosaddek Hossain 43 not out giving Prime a firm grip in the match. Elsewhere at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, the match between Walton Central Zone and BCB North remained evenly poised after a rain-interrupted third day. Walton resumed on 20-2 after rain delayed the start of third day’s play until 12:00pm and were finally all out for exactly 200 runs in their second innings, setting a 203-run winning target the BCB outfit. Mehrab Hossain jr remained unbeaten on 54 for Walton as Mahmudul Hasan grabbed 4-53. Walton bowlers struck back immediately to reduce the BCB side to 11-2 at close on the third day, leaving the prospect of an intriguing final day, though a win will count for nothing for either side. Mohammad Shahid handed opener Hamidul Haque a sixth ball duck before Shuvagata Hom removed Junaed Siddique in the next ball of the second over throwing the contest open. Mahmudul, who is yet to open his account, will resume the final day with nightwatchman Taijul Islam with the BCB team needing 192 runs and Walton needing eight wickets. 

IFIC Bank organised a day-long training on IFIC Bank Home Loan at a local hotel in Sylhet recently.
Deputy Managing Director and Head of Business Shah Md. Moinuddin inaugurated the programme, said a press release.
Ferdousi Begum, SVP and Head of Retail Banking, Head Office, AK Mojibur Rahman, VP and Head of HR Development and Training Institute, Md. Faruk Ahmed, SAVP and Manager of Ambarkhana branch, Ashim Kumar Saha, FAVP of Retail Banking Division and Md. Harun-or-Rashid, AVP of Sylhet Branch attended the inaugural session.
A total of 33 participants took part in the training workshop.

Jacky Li, CFO, Kazi Mabasher Hossain, Director, Public Affairs and Communication Department and Md Khairul Anam, PR Manager of Huawei are seen at the launching ceremony of “Seeds for the Future” in the capital recently.

NCC Bank Limited recently signed a corporate agreement with Fair Distribution Limited.
As per the agreement, NCC Bank’s credit cardholders will get EMI facility on Samsung mobile handsets from all outlets and sub distributor’s outlets of Fair Distribution, said a press release.
Khaled Afzal Rahim, Head of Cards of NCC Bank Limited, and Md Ruhul Alam Al Mahbub, Managing Director of Fair Distribution Ltd signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations, in presence of Golam Hafiz Ahmed, Managing Director and CEO of the bank.

Mohammad Iqbal, EVP & head of Emerging Corporate and Special Programmes of Midland Bank( MDB), inaugurating ATM booth of MDB as the chief guest at Aganagar branch at Kearaniganj recently. Mostafizur Rahman, head of Cards, and Mir Rajib Faruk, AVP & head of Aganagar branch, were also present on the occasion

BB drafts a policy to administer lending and repayment.

Lack of a policy to repay default loans against credit card is taking a heavy toll on default clients who allegedly face threats and harassment from the issuing banks.

Treated as consumer financing, the credit card loans are charged with high interests by the banks that have no definite policy to recover the loans.

As a result, the cardholders face problem if they default as the banks do not allow the credit card loans to reschedule or any chance to pay the dues through installments favouring the clients.

Banks recover the money from credit card defaulters, allegedly issuing threat and harassing them physically and socially. 

However, Bangladesh Bank recently moved on issuing a policy over the credit card loans to solve the emerging problems. It has already made a draft policy in this regard. 

The policy includes a clause that any verbal or physical harassment or threats to customers, their family members, references or friends shall not be resorted in the recovery process. 

At the issuance of credit card, the issuer should properly communicate with the customer about the procedure of recovery in case of default payments.

But they should not engage in any activity against public interest and must use the principles of honesty and good health, said the policy.

The policy also prohibited banks from offering unsolicited loans to the customers based on the credit cards. 

It, however, did not offer any way forward for cardholders to come out of default situation by paying off loans. 

Though Bangladesh Bank discourages consumer financing, car loans and house building loans are allowed to reschedule when defaulted, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Bank. 

The cardholders, however, are treated as defaulter like other defaulters if failing to pay the dues in scheduled time, but they are not allowed to get installment or rescheduling facilities for paying off the loans, he said. 

He said credit card loans also can be rescheduled like other loans following the rescheduling policy because the nature of the credit card loan is similar to that of regular loans. 

But the banks are reluctant to go to the rescheduling process as the loan amount is not significant to them, he said. 

Banks would rather like to recover money allegedly by forcing clients instead of following legal procedure to avoid extra hassle for the little amount of credit card loans, he observed.