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Alamgir Kabir, FCA, Chairman of Southeast Bank Limited, inaugurates VISA Platinum Credit Card, at a function in Dhaka Monday.

Southeast Bank Limited launched VISA Platinum Credit Card in Dhaka Monday.

Alamgir Kabir, FCA, Chairman of the bank, formally inaugurated the new product, said a press release.

Ragib Ali, Vice-Chairman, MA Kashem, Jusna Ara Kashem, Azim Uddin Ahmed, Duluma Ahmed, Md. Akikur Rahman, Sirat Monira,

Dr. Zaidi Sattar and AHM Moazzem Hossain, Directors,

Zakir Ahmed Khan, Advisor, Mahbubul Alam, MD, Md Gofran and Md Shahjahan, AMD of the bank were present.

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Prime Bank Limited (PBL) organised a day-long workshop on ‘Green Banking’ for its managers in Dhaka.

A total of 38 manager (operations) and officials of the bank took part at the workshop arranged by Prime Bank HR Training and Development Center recently, said a press release.

Kanti Kumar Saha, Deputy Managing Director and CBO, presided over the workshop while HR-TDC Md Fakhrul Islam, SVP and Manager of the bank, coordinated the workshop.

Khandaker Morshed Millat, DGM of Bangladesh Bank and Professor Dr Shah Md Ahsan Habib, Director of Training Department of BIBM, spoke on the occasion.

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AHM Mustafa Kamal, MP, inaugurates the 506th branch of Raupali Bank Limited at Chatkhil in Noakhali Monday.

The state-owned Rupali Bank Limited has opened its 506th branch with online banking facilities at Chatkhil in Noakhali Monday.

AHM Mustafa Kamal, MP, was present as chief guest while Dr Ahmed Al Kabir, Chairman of Rupali Bank was present as special guest, said a press release.

Kazi Md Neyamat Ullah, Senior General Manager of the bank chaired the function. Nazmul Islam, general manger of Comilla division, Abu Md Sayedul Islam, business development specialist, AKM Shamsuddin Khwaja also attended.

Md Jahangir Alam, Personal Assistant to the Prime Minister was also present at the inaugural ceremony.

While speaking Dr Ahmed Al Kabir, Chairman of the bank said the BNP-Jamaat alliance government had tried to destroy the bank.

But the present government is trying to bring the bank’s image. In that view the government appointed efficient managing committee in the bank.

Bangladesh Bank on Monday asked all commercial banks and financial institutions (FIs) to stand beside the poor people who are worst sufferers in the cold spell.

The central bank issued a circular asking the banks and FIs to immediately distribute warm clothes and blankets to cold-hit destitute across the country as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The circular, which was sent to the chief executives of all the banks and FIs, said it was necessary to help the poor as a severe cold wave is sweeping the country.

The central bank circular also asked the banks to provide financial support for poor students as part of their CSR. 
BB governor Dr Atiur Rahman has urged the bankers to stand beside the cold stricken people, national news agency BSS says in a report.

 "Helping the cold affected poor people is a social responsibility of banks and financial institutions," Governor Dr Atiur Rahman said, adding that as these institutions do businesses with the money of the people, they must invest in social sector.

Atiur said cold spell is affecting life in different areas, including northern districts, southwestern region. People who are living in the areas surrounded by rivers, are worst suffers and banks and financial institutions should help these people, he added.

People of low-income group, especially farm workers, rickshaw pullers and those living under the open sky on roadsides or in makeshift houses have become the worst sufferers in the ongoing cold spell.

A mild cold spell with thick fog is affecting life life in different northern districts - Rajshahi, Natore, Pabna, Bogra, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh - and southwestern region of the country over the last couple of days.

Meteorological Department saidtemperatures have dropped in Rajshahi division on Saturday after mild cold wave started drifting over Ishwardi, Jessore and Chuadanga.

The weather forecast for this month said one or two mild (ranging from 8 to 10 degrees Celsius) or moderate (6 to 8 degrees Celsius) cold waves will affect the country's north, north-eastern and central regions by the end of December.

Media reports say the people in the north are suffering cold-related maladies as the temperature keeps dropping every day.

The BB circular also ordered the banks to provide financial support for poor students as part of their corporate social responsibility.

The Bangladesh Bank on Monday asked the scheduled banks to complete their preparations within the shortest possible time to be incorporated into the National Payment Switch Bangladesh.

To this end, the BB issued a circular addressing the managing directors and chief executive officers of all banks saying that it had been decided that all inter-bank domestic transactions originating from any delivery channel (ATM/POS/Kiosk/Mobile/Internet) would be routed through NPSB. 

The circular said the BB would complete the procedures to set up NPSB within a couple of weeks as it was a national priority project.

The NPSB will also include transactions of banks that do not have their own switch but are using Third Party Processors (Q-cash, Cash Link), the circular said. 

The banks are being advised to upgrade or customise their own or third-party switching software according to the BB specifications (Host to Host) within the shortest possible time, it said.

The circular said that the BB had already started implementation of NPSB with a view to creating a common platform for the cards (Debit/Credit/Prepaid) and internet and mobile-based payments in the country.