The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) in Bangladesh recently awarded three groups of young entrepreneurs under its 'Young Entrepreneur Awards (YEA) 2011 programme.

The winning teams - Gold, Silver and Bronze - were awarded with cash prizes along with a chance to participate in a weeklong entrepreneurial tour in Hong Kong SAR, said a press release.

The gold team will also compete with other best teams from Brunei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Shanghai and Thailand for the regional championship.

The Gold award winning team ‘Stalwarts' - Upoma Dutta, Shehreen Kamal, Nusrat Sharmin – was from Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka. Their business plan was ‘CocoCrete’ that offers an eco-friendly, high-strength but low-cost concrete using coir fibers from coconut husks, an agricultural by-product, for making buildings more resistant to earthquakes.

‘The Entrepreneurs’ of Dhaka University Business Faculty won the Silver Award for their project ‘Greennovationn Technologies Inc’ that offers production of environment friendly, geographically sustainable and 46 per cent cost-effective housing material, made from jute - a locally abundant raw material. The team was comprised of three members - Mahadi Hasan Sagor, Nausheen Ahmed, Badhan Mazumder – from the faculty.

Another team ‘Niloy’ from Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University Of Dhaka won the Bronze Award for their business plan on mini water treatment plant in a packet for rural Bangladesh. The plan offers removing of arsenic, pathogens, and bacteria from water effectively and inexpensively. Haider Dewan, Laura Amin, and Lamia Bashar were the member of the team.

The jury panel included HSBC chief risk officer Johnson K S Chang, HSBC divisional heads Sadik Reza, institutional banking, Saiful Islam, payment and cash management, Riaz A Chowdhury, corporate banking, Iftekhar Hasan, acting head of marketing and communications of the bank.

News: Daiy Sun/ Bangladesh/ Apr-27-2011

Managing Director of World Bank (WB) Group Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala arrives in the capital Tuesday on a three day visit, said a WB press release. During her visit, she will hold high-level meetings with the government on the country's development priorities for transformative and inclusive growth.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala's engagements include a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and meetings with the Ministers of Finance and Agriculture.
She will also meet other senior government officials, civil society and private sector representatives.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala will travel to the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project site where she will meet project officials, visit beneficiaries at resettlement sites, and join the signing ceremony of the $1.2 billion IDA credit.

News: The Independent/ Bangladesh/ Apr-26-2011

Pubali Bank re-elected Hafiz Ahmed Mazum-der as chairman at the bank's 818th board meeting in Dhaka on Sunday.

The meeting also re-elected Habibur Rahman as vice chairman, the bank said in a statement yesterday.

Member of the Parliament, Mazum-der established “Hafiz Mazumder Education Trust” for the development of the education sector.

Rahman is the sponsor director of Green Delta Insurance, Delta Hospital and Delta Medical Centre.

News: The Daily Star/ Bangladesh/ Apr-26-2011

The inaugural function of the 60-days long Internship programme organised by Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) was held recently at academic conference hall of Islami Bank Training and Research Academy (IBTRA).

Professor Dr NRM Borhan Uddin, director of the bank and vice chancellor of City University was present at the function as the chief guest, said a press release. Presided over by Nurul Islam Khalifa, executive vice president of the bank, the function was attended among others by Dr Mahmood Ahmad, executive vice president and director (training), Dr Md Mizanur Rahman, senior vice president and director (research), Kazi Kamrul Islam, senior vice president and faculty member, Md Sayedur Rahman, vice president and joint director (training), Md Zillur Rahman Patwary, vice president and faculty member, Sabina Yasmin, assistant vice president and faculty member, Masuma Begum, assistant director (research) and Mahmuda Sultana, faculty member of IBTRA. 94 students from 39 public and private universities are participating in the program.

News: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ Apr-26-2011

Pubali Bank Limited has announced 35 per cent stock and 5 per cent cash dividend at the 28th annual general meeting of the bank for the year 2010, held on Sunday at Rangamati Waterfront, Safipur in Gazipur, says a press release. A large number of enthusiastic shareholders participated in the meeting. Expressing their satisfaction with the over all management of the bank, the shareholders have made some suggestions for the continuous development of the bank.  
Helal Ahmed Chowdhury, managing director, Syeed Ahmed, CFO and general manager, Sheikh Wahidur Rahman, Monjur Rahman, Syed Moazzem Hossain, M. Faizur Rahman, Ahad Sofi Chowdhury, Fahim Ahmed Faruk Chowdhury, Md. Kabiruzzaman Yakub, directors of the bank, Sabir Ahmed, alternate director of the bank were present at the meeting.

News: The Independent/Bangladesh/Apr-25-2011