Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited opened its 102nd branch at Ashkona, Dakshin Khan in the city recently. KS Tabrez, managing director of Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited formally inaugurated the branch. The new branch of the bank will provide actual on-line banking facilities to the customers of the bank. KS Tabrez, managing director of the bank informed that DBBL already provides a wide array of banking products and financial services including card services to its retail and corporate customers and added that the bank has started mobile banking operation, first of this kind in the country to reach banking services to the doorsteps of the millions of rural people.

DBBL serves over 1.7 million customers throughout the country, the managing director of the bank said. Among others, Md Mosaddiqur Rahman, deputy managing director of the bank and local elites of the area were present on the occasion.

News: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 20-Sep-11

People getting donation from the Hindu Welfare Trust under the Ministry of Religious Affairs will be allowed to open the ten-taka bank accounts, in line with a latest decision by the Central Bank. Banking Regulation and Policy Department of BB yesterday issued a circular to this effect, directing all scheduled banks to ensure banking facility to the distressed Hindu community people who normally face financial exclusion.

Besides farmers and freedom fighters, the poor members of the Hindu community will be allowed to open bank accounts after showing the national ID cards and certificates issued by the Trust.Those poor people will have bank accounts depositing only ten taka and banks can not put any minimum deposit limits for them. Earlier, BB had provided the same facility for the marginal farmers and freedom fighters to make them avail of the banking facility and help them easily get cash subsidies and allowances through those accounts.

News: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 19-Sep-11

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited organised the concluding session of a day long business development conference for the zonal heads, branch incumbents, foreign exchange in-charges, investment in-charges and responsible officials of all the branches under Dhaka central zone and all authorized dealer, selected forwarding branches of Rajshahi, Bogra, Khulna, Comilla, Mymensingh and Barisal zones at Mohammad Younus Auditorium of Islami Bank Tower on September 16, says a press release.
Prof Abu Nasser Muhammad Abduz Zaher, chairman, board of directors of the bank was present in the session as the chief guest.  Presided over by Mohammad Abdul Mannan, managing director of the bank, the conference attended by Engr Md Eskander Ali Khan, chairman, executive committee. The programme was addressed among others by Md Habibur Rahman, deputy managing director, Investment Wing and Md Nurul Islam, deputy managing director, International Banking Wing. 
Md Setaur Rahman, deputy managing director, Dhaka central zone, Md Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan, deputy managing director, Internal Control and Compliance Wing, top executives of head office and zonal heads were also attended the conference.

News: The Independent/ Bangladesh/ 18-Sep-11

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman yesterday came down heavily on senior BB officials for not taking stern actions against errant banks and NBFIs, and stressed on strict monitoring to ensure financial stability in the sector.

“I see most of you are young. Have you lost your teeth? How many banks have you fined so far or tracked frauds there?” the Governor aksked BB officials.

He was speaking at the inaugural session of a workshop on “Contemporary Challenges in the Banking Sector and Supervisory Stance” at city’s Bangladesh Bank Training Academy (BBTA) auditorium in the morning.

“You shouldn’t have any hesitation in taking tough actions against any irregularities in the banking sector while you are being continuously assured of full support from the top level,” he said, adding that any professional problems regarding this will be looked into. “You don’t need to be too much humane to those who are violating the laws,” he told the officials.

Department of Off-Site Supervision of BB and BBTA jointly organised the meeting with concerned officials to formulate a timely supervisory framework.

News: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 18-Sep-11

The Bangladesh Bank board on Wednesday approved fresh guidelines for setting up new banking companies, agreeing in principle to issue licences to new banks, sources in the know said.
The new banking guidelines will work in tandem with the Banking Companies Act 1991.  However, the BB board meet, which was presided over by governor Atiru Rahman, did not specify how many new banking licences would be issued.
 “It is a long process. The central bank cannot promptly decide on the issue, as applicants must meet several formalities conforming to the new guideline and the BCA,” a senior BB official said.
 “After signing the meeting minutes on Thursday, the central bank will float advertisements seeking applications for new banking licences,” he further said adding, the central will thoroughly scrutiny every application received and then take a decision on them.
 The new guidelines incorporate some additional duties for new banks, including mandatory expenditure of 10 per cent net profit for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, he pointed out.
 According to the BCA 1991, a new bank shall not have a paid-up capital of less than Tk. 400 crore, he added.
 The new guidelines say a director or advisor to any banking company, other than the proposed bank, shall not be a director of the proposed bank. The number of directors on the board shall be restricted to 13. The chief executive officer (CEO) of the proposed bank shall have at least 15 years of experience in the banking profession.
 The ratio of urban to rural bank branch has to be 1:1, or as per instructions issued by the BB from time to time. A new bank has to channel at least five per cent of its total lending into the agricultural sector, or as per instructions issued by the central bank. Issuing licences to new banks has been a much-debated point ever since finance minister AMA Muhith took a stand in favour of it. Incidentally,  the chairman and the other members of the BB board felt there was no need to rush the issue.

News: The Independenr/ Bangladesh/ 15-Sep-11