Around 50 bankers have applied for three deputy governors’ positions of Bangladesh Bank, official sources said.

Besides, most of the executive directors of the central bank have submitted application for the posts. Former BB Executive Director Harun-ur Rashid is also in that list.

The applicants will be short listed during a meeting on December 13, said a member of a the five-member search committee formed to run the recruitment process, headed by Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation ( PKSF) Chairman and eminent economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzam Ahmad.

BB posted job advertisements in leading national dailies last month to appoint three deputy governors as the tenure of the three existing deputy governors will expire by the end of this year.

The extended terms of three incumbent deputy governors-- Nazrul Huda, Ziaul Hasan Siddique and Murshid Kuli Khan-- will expire on December 31, 2011.

Sources at the Finance Ministry said several executive directors have expressed their interest to fill the posts.

An adviser to the Prime Minister has already recommended the names two BB Executive Directors to appoint as deputy governors.

Source: The Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 9th Dec 2011

ATHENS: Greek banks need state aid to get through the losses of a planned write-down of the country's sovereign debt but the lenders are pressing the government not to take over management at the same time.

Under a second debt rescue agreed in October with the EU and IMF, private creditors agreed to write-down 50 per cent of their holdings of government bonds, effectively cutting Greek's debt burden by 100 billion euros.

The accord also made available 30 billion euros to help the Greek banks cope with the resulting losses on their holdings of Greek government bonds, put at around 50 billion euros, and which they could not cover themselves.

The aim of the 30 billion euros lifeline is to keep the banks alive and lending so that the Greek economy, mired in recession since 2008, is not deprived of essential credit to drive new business.

Source: The Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 9th Dec 2011

The inter-bank call money rate remained at 22 percent during last two days (Wednesday and Thursday) indicating a fresh liquidity pressure in the money market, official sources said.

The call money rate ranged between 17 per cent and 22 on Thursday against 8.75 percent and 22 per cent on the previous working day.

In private sector, although, City Bank transacted call money rate at 10 per cent while non-banking financial institutions traded at 22 per cent.

Bangladesh Bank sources said State-owned Commercial Bank (SCBs) Agrani Bank brought Tk 5.32 billion while Sonali Bank Tk 4.45 billion, private commercial bank Uttara Tk 4.40 billion. At total of Tk 50.36 billion transacted yesterday in the inter-bank money market.

Source: The Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 9th Dec 2011

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a Bangladesh Bank (BB) decision to remove four directors of Social Islami Bank Ltd from their posts.

Kamaluddin Ahmed, Taslima Aktar, Shah Alam and Zahura Alam were removed from their posts on July 13, 2002, on charges of hiding information regarding their involvement in M/S Homeland Footwear, a bankrupt organisation, a BB statement said yesterday.

Source: The Daily Star/ Bangladesh/ 9th Dec 2011

The central bank has taken an initiative to set up e-payment gateway to expand internet banking and e-commerce in the country, said its chief Atiur Rahman yesterday.

"I hope the e-payment gateway will start functioning in the first quarter of 2013," Bangladesh Bank governor said.

He spoke while inaugurating the 'Easy Pay' system of ICB Islamic Bank under Bangladesh Electronic Fund Transfer Network (BEFTN) in the capital.

He said inter operability among the terminals of automated teller machine and point of sales will be ensured across the country through this e-payment gateway, and it will help expand e-commerce in the country.

"The recent progress in the payment system is part of the central bank's sincere efforts to ensure the development of the country's banking sector," he said.

He said clients now can transfer funds safely and quickly at affordable cost under the BEFTN.

Source: The Daily Star/ Bangladesh/ 9th Dec 2011