Shahjalal bank gives out Tk 1.1cr in scholarship

Posted by BankInfo on Sat, Sep 13 2014 10:49 am

Rakibul Islam yearns for the day he graduates from a reputed institution, although it once seemed like a far-cry as the costs of education were a burden to his family.

He recalled his past struggle, at a scholarship-award giving ceremony by Shahjalal Islami Bank yesterday, standing in front of hundreds of students like him, policymakers and bankers.

It was uncertain whether he could even complete his schooling as his father passed away early and his mother struggled to make ends meet. But his mother never compromised on her son's education. He is now a first-year student at Government Edward College in Pabna. Rakibul Islam was awarded a scholarship of Tk 25,000 by the bank. 

“The scholarship is motivation for the needy but talented students,” he said. “It is a great initiative by the bank.”

The bank awarded scholarships worth Tk 1.1 crore to 500 meritorious and financially-insolvent students, who passed SSC and HSC in 2013 across the country, at yesterday's programme.

A total of 5,000 students had applied for the scholarship.

Each student received a onetime payment of Tk 20,000 at the SSC level and Tk 25,000 for HSC level.

Shahjalal Islami Bank has been handing out these annual scholarships since 2006.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith handed over the scholarships among the students at Officers' Club in Dhaka.

The wealthy in society should allocate more funds for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in education, Muhith said.

“Education is the best sector for CSR expenditure.”

“We are motivating the commercial banks to allocate more CSR funds for education,” said SK Sur Chowdhury, deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank. The meritorious students contribute to building an enriched nation along with contributing to economic growth of the country, said AK Azad, chairman of Shahjalal Islami Bank.

“At present, education is expensive, and the upper class in our society should extend their financial support for the education of the needy, meritorious students.”

 News:The Daily Star/12-Sep-2014

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