Finance Minister AMA Muhith inaugurates the 513th branch of Rupali Bank at Madina Market in Sylhet town Friday. M Farid Uddin, managing Director of the bank, Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, Sylhet City Mayor, Dr. Ahmad Al Kabir, chairman of Rupali Bank were also present on the occasion.

The state-owned Rupali Bank’s excess liquidity reached Tk 12 billion after fulfilling the regulatory directive on cash reserve requirement (CRR).

This liquidity status of the bank was revealed at a function organised by the bank management on the occasion of the launch of its 513th branch at Madina market in Sylhet city Friday.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith inaugurated the branch as chief guest.

Muhith said the previous BNP-led government took initiatives to ‘destroy’ this bank in the name of sale to the private sector. “But, we have taken over the bank and supported it to restore its capital base,” Muhith said.

Acting secretary for the banking division, Amalendu Mukherjy said Rupali Bank was a ‘dying baby’ when the present government took office. The secretary said now this bank is lending in the call-money market on regular basis as its capital base has become stronger as a result of improved management.

“The bank has been maintaining CRR above the regulatory requirement (6 percent out of 19 percent of total paid-up capital as Statutory Liquidity Ratio) and its excess liquidity reached Tk 12 billion,” he said. He said the bank’s loan recovery has been improved and as result its classified loan gradually lessened.

The bank’s board chairman Dr Ahmad Al kabir said that there is a huge deposit potential in the Sylhet region and the bank has targeted that. “We want to mobilize a big deposit for big investment here (Sylhet),” he told local business personalities attended the inaugural ceremony.

Rupali Bank’s managing director M Fariduddin greeted that the bank came to the strong position by the cooperation of clients and dedicated hard works of its employees.

Local legislator Safikur Rahman and Sylhet city Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmad Kamran were also present on the occasion.

Abrar A Anwar, Managing Director and Head of Origination and Client Coverage, Standard Chartered Bank, and Md. Shafiqual Haque Choudhury, President, ASA, exchange documents after signing an agreement in Dhaka recently.

Standard Chartered Bank recently signed a Tk 1 billion credit facility agreement with ASA.

The fund will enable ASA, one of the top tier MFIs (micro-finance institutions) in Bangladesh to change the lives of over 60,000 borrowers and their family members across the country, said a press release Wednesday.

Jim McCabe, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Bangladesh mentioned that this was the part of SCB’s global initiative to provide support in the microfinance sector across Asia and Africa, which in turn will help some of the poorest people in these regions.

Abrar A Anwar, Managing Director and Head of Origination and Client Coverage, Standard Chartered Bank, Bangladesh and Md. Shafiqual Haque Choudhury, President, ASA signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

Some senior executives of the bank and ASA were also present.

Khondker Fazle Rashid, Managing Director of Dhaka Bank Ltd, hands over a prize to Mohammad Waziullah Khokan, winner of a contest, in Dhaka Wednesday.

Dhaka Bank Limited (DBL) recently organised a contest for its credit-card users for winning tickets of T20 cricket series in Sri Lanka.

Khondker Fazle Rashid, Managing Director of the bank, handed over the prize to Mohammad Waziullah Khokan, a winner of the contest, in Dhaka Wednesday, said a press release.

Niaz Habib, Additional Managing Director, Shah Azizul Islam, Senior Vice President, Mukarram Hossain Chowdhury, Senior Vice President and Manager of Foreign Exchange Branch, attended the prize giving ceremony.

City Bank launched an international standard domestic airport lounge, the first of its kind, at Hazrat Shahajalal International Airport in Dhaka Tuesday.

Faruk Khan, MP, Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism inaugurated the lounge as chief guest.

The lounge named “City Bank American Express Domestic Airport Lounge” will cater to the City Bank issued American Express® Gold Credit Card-members, said a press release.

The lounge would provide complementary facilities and food and beverage, wi-fi connections for internet access, American Express Card service desk and other entertainment options.

Sayeed H Chowdhury, Chairman of ONE Bank Ltd along with officials and clients of the bank, seen at a function at Chittagong Club in Chittagong recently.

ONE Bank Limited recently arranged a traditional Mejban for its clients in Chittagong.
Sayeed H Chowdhury, Chairman and Farman R Chowdhury, Managing Director, ONE Bank Limited, welcomed the guests at a function held at Chittagong Club.
Businessmen, industrialists, government and non-government high officials, teachers and local elites attended the Mejban.