Commerce Minister GM Quader, MP, handed over the best pavilion award of Dhaka International Trade Fair-2013 to Dr M Kamal Uddin Jashim, Senior Vice President of Marketing Division of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited.

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) was accorded best-pavilion award under the premier pavilion category of the just-concluded Dhaka International Trade Fair-2013.

Commerce Minister GM Quader, MP, handed over the award to Dr M Kamal Uddin Jashim, Senior Vice President of Marketing Division of the Bank at the closing ceremony of the fair recently.

ABM Abul Kashem, MP, President of Standing Committee on Commerce Ministry, Mahbub Ahmed, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Kazi Akram Uddin, President of FBCCI were also present on the occasion.

Mentionable, Islami Bank was awarded the best award in mini pavilion category at the International Trade Fair 2012.

Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd was appreciated by the visitors for her spectacular pavilion on the fair. ATM booth of IBBL increases the beauty of the stall.

Zainul Haque Sikder, Sponsor Director and Chairman of National Bank Limited, speaks at the Annual Conference- 2013 of the bank at a hotel in Dhaka recently.

The Annual Conference- 2013 of executives and managers of National Bank Limited (NBL) was held at a hotel in Dhaka recently.

Zainul Haque Sikder, Sponsor Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank inaugurated the conference as chief guest. Neaz Ahmed, Managing Director of the bank presided over the meeting, said a press release.

Monowara Sikder, Parveen Haque Sikder, Khalilur Rahman and Moazzam Hossain, Directors, Md. Anwar Hussain, Independent Director, Md Golam Rasul, Law Consultant, Azizur Rahman, Consultant, Md. Badiul Alam, Additional Managing Director, S M Jaffar, Shamsul Huda Khan, AKM Shafiqur Rahman, Nazib Uddin Bhuiyan, ASM Bulbul and Abdul Hamid Mia, Deputy Managing Directors of the bank were present.

Zainul Haque Sikder emphasised on human asset and financial asset of the bank. He also urged upon the managers and the executives of the bank for concerted efforts for improvement of credit risk and credit management for enhancement of profitability of the bank.

Mohammed Nurul Amin, Managing Director of NCC Bank Ltd, speaks the 'NCC Bank Ovibashi Utsab' at Al Madina Cricket Ground, Sharjah recently.

A three-day long 'NCC Bank Ovibashi Utsab' was held at Al Madina Cricket Ground, Sharjah, UAE recently.

Md. Abu Zafar, Consul General of Bangladesh High Commission to UAE inaugurated the festival as chief guest, said a press release.

Mohammed Nurul Amin, Chairman, Association of Bankers, Bangladesh and Managing Director of NCC Bank was present as special guest.

NCC Bank with other Bangladeshi banks, exchange houses and real estate companies participated in the festival.

Besides, NCC Bank organised three more programmes in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. Mohammed Nurul Amin, MD, NCC Bank attended functions as chief guest.

Muhammed Ali, Managing Director of UCBL, and Michael Kuehner, CEO of Robi Axiata Ltd, seen at an agreement signing ceremony in Dhaka recently.

United Commercial Bank Limited (UCBL) has signed an agreement with Robi Axiata Ltd to bring banking services to the doorstep of the unbanked population of Bangladesh.

UCBL has branded its mobile financial services as UCASH and the slogan of their service is “Akash Chowa Sheba,” said a press release.

Robi is the first MNO partner of UCBL for providing the UCASH services. All Robi customers registered with UCASH will be able to avail UCASH services of UCB through USSD, IVR etc which ensures transaction security.

Bangladesh Bank is likely to award licences to new banks soon to allow entry of a fourth set of private banks in the country.

Six banks, out of nine proposed new banks, have already submitted their business plans to the BB. The board of directors of the BB yesterday completed reviewing the business plans of three banks -- NRB Commercial, Union and South Bangla.

Chief executive officers of the three banks presented their respective business plans to the BB when chairmen of these banks were also present.

“Today's (Sunday's) board meeting has been adjourned. The board will sit again on Tuesday (tomorrow) to review the business plans of the rest three banks,” SK Sur Chowdhury, deputy governor of the central bank, told reporters after the meeting.

These three banks are Midland, Meghna and NRB, he said. The rest three of the proposed banks have sought time to arrange capital, sponsors and other papers before meeting the board of directors of the central bank, the BB official said.

The central bank in April 2012 issued "letters of intent" to nine newly-approved commercial banks, allowing maximum 20 directors in their boards instead of 13.

The BB also asked the proposed chairmen of the banks to comply with the requirements and existing rules and regulations within six months, and to arrange Tk 400 crore as their paid-up capital.

However, the central bank's decision to allow new banks sparked huge debates last year. Analysts said the move would distort the market, which is already saturated with 47 banks in operations.

Following the nationalisation of banks after the country's independence in 1971, the BB gave licences to private banks at first in 1983. The second set of such banks was allowed in 1995 and the third set in 2001.