Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd on Saturday arranged a two-day orientation programme for its 96 newly appointed probationary officers at the bank’s head office in the city.

Engr. Mustafa Anwar, acting chairman of the bank, attended the function as chief guest, said a press release.

Presided over by Managing Director Moham- mad Abdul Mannan, the orientation programme was also attended by Nurul Islam Khalifa, director general of Islami Bank Training and Research Academy, deputy managing directors--- Mohd. Shamsul Haque, Md. Habibur Rahman and Md. Setaur Rahman, and senior executives of the bank’s head office.

Mustafa Anwar in his speech said the young bankers will lead the bank in future. He called upon all to build up efficient bankers and advised to acquire knowledge on modern technology along with the banking operations. He also called upon the officers to deploy themselves with honesty, integrity and self dedication to continue the flow of development of IBBL.

Mohammad Abdul Mannan in his presidential speech said Islami Bank was established to fulfill the fundamental need of the people, implementing distributive justice, and fill up the gap of the haves and have-nots and the same between urban and rural areas.

He called upon the newly recruited officers to build them up to establish Islamic banking by acquiring technological and banking knowledge.

News: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ Mar-14-2011

As there is a move to ascertain the status of the Grameen Bank as a non-government organization (NGO), some eminent economists and former governors of Bangladesh Bank (BB) have come up with the conclusion that the move is a mere propaganda only to mislead people. It is evident in some media reports in the country and overseas that a quarter is trying hard to establish Grameen Bank as an NGO and the BB is not supposed to do anything with its operation like what it had done recently.
The economists, however, preferred anonymity and did not want to make detailed comments on this issue as the Grameen Bank's matter is still in the court.
Referring to the special ordinance under which Grameen Bank has been created, a former BB governor said this is a financial organization under the central bank, and not like NGOs that are registered with different authorities other than the BB. He said Grameen Bank never ever got registration as an NGO from the authorities concerned like social welfare department; rather it was established under the special ordinance, which incorporates some vital clauses of the Bank Company Act.
Another former governor said under the act, the BB is empowered to instruct Grameen Bank and it (Grameen Bank) should follow the direction like any other banks under its umbrella.
A senior economist strongly shared the same view saying that Grameen Bank is in no way an NGO. He trashed the move to change its status, observing that this move would only mislead the common people.

News: The Independent/ Bangladesh/ Mar-13-2011

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited(IBBL) organised a two day long orientation programme for 96 newly appointed Probationary Officers on the occasion of their joining the office on March 12, 2011, Saturday at Mohammad Younus Auditorium of Islami Bank Tower. Presided over by Mohammad Abdul Mannan, managing director, Engr. Mustafa Anwar, acting chairman of the Bank was present at the programme as chief guest. Nurul Islam Khalifa, director general of Islami Bank Training and Research Academy addressed the welcome speech. The programme was attended by Mohd. Shamsul Haque, Md. Habibur Rahman and Md. Setaur Rahman, deputy managing directors and top executives of  the Head Office, says a press release.
Engr. Mustafa Anwar in his speech as chief guest said that, young bankers of today will lead the Bank in the future. He called upon all to build up efficient bankers and advised to acquire knowledge of modern techonology alongside banking operations. He also called upon the officers to deploy themselves with honesty, integrity and self dedication to continue the flow of development of IBBL. He called upon the young bankers to work hard to face the challenges ahead.
Mohammad Abdul Mannan in his Presidential speech said that, Islami Bank was established to fulfill the fundamental need of the people, implementing distributive justice, and fill up the gap of the Haves and Have nots and the gap between urban and rural area. He said that we are not working to fulfill greed of any person rather we are working to establish welfare oriended and need based Banking. He called upon the newly recruited officers to build them up to establish Islamic Banking by acquiring technological knowledge alongside banking operations.

News: The Independent/ Bangladesh/ Mar-13-2011

Standard Chartered Saadiq’s leadership position in Islamic Banking was celebrated at the Euromoney Islamic Finance Awards ceremony recently. The Bank was presented with three distinguished awards - “Best Islamic Project Finance House”, “Most Improved in Asia” and Afaq Khan, CEO, Standard Chartered Saadiq, was honoured with a personal achievement award for “Outstanding Contribution to Islamic Finance”, says a press release.
Standard Chartered’s leadership in Islamic Banking has continued to gain external recognition.
Over the past four years, Standard Chartered Saadiq has received more than 66 industry awards.
Standard Chartered Saadiq’s UAE based CEO, Afaq Khan, said, “We are very pleased to win these awards which recognise our contributions in major Islamic markets.
Our close working relationships with regulatory and industry bodies have been imperative in the development of the Islamic Banking sector.
I am very honoured to be presented the personal achievement award.
This award is a tribute to the dedication, professionalism and combined effort of the Saadiq team and colleagues across the Bank.

News: The Independent/ Bangladesh/ Mar-13-2011

Senior bank- ers here yesterday said that Bangladesh Bank (BB) has taken special steps for easing the process of disbursing SME loans as per directions of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to boost the country’ economy.

Sixty banks and non-banking financial intuitions have been assisting the SME entrepreneurs to expand agro-based and SME industries for enhancing economic activities to achieve self-reliance and women empowerment in the country, they said.

They were addressing a rally of the bankers-entrepreneurs and views-exchange meeting arranged on a daylong ‘Agro-based Industry, SME Finance and Entreprene- urs’ Fair-2011’ at Public Library and Town Hall premises in the city this afternoon.

Chaired by General Manager (GM) of the SME & Special Programmes Division of BB Sukomal Singha Chowdhury, its Deputy Governor of the BB Ziaul Hassan Siddique addressed as the chief guest.

Additional Divisional Commissioner Narayan Chandra Barman, Execu- tive Director of BB Harunur Rashid Chowdh- ury, Managing Director of SME Foundat- ion Syed Rezwanul Kabir, GM (Acting) of Rangpur Branch of BB Nur-Un-Nahar and Rangpur Chamber President ATM Shahnewaz Bablu addres- sed as the special guests.

SME & Special Programmes Division of BB with the assistances of SME Foundation, local Banks and Chamber, BSCIC and other associate organisations organised the fair that created huge enthusiasm among the small and medium scale entrepreneurs.

Senior bankers, leaders of the chambers of commerce and industries of all districts from Rangpur region, leaders of Syedpur export-oriented small-scale garments factories, representatives of BSCIC, SME sectors, officials, Mayors and elite were present.

Several thousand small and medium scale industry entrepreneurs including women took part in the fair where all banks, financial institutions and the private sector small and medium scale entrepreneurs spontaneously took part.

The SME entrepreneurs directly talked and exchanged views with the bankers on the easiest way of getting SME loans from all banks and non-banking financial institutions and other related issues and got instant answers of their questions.

The bankers and experts presented their valuable suggestions, opinions and necessary directions and said that the fair would improve the prevailing relations between the SME entrepreneurs and banks significantly for boosting the SME sectors in the region.

Earlier in the morning, BB Deputy Governor Ziaul Hassan Siddique formally inaugurated the fair in a colourful ceremony and all banks and financial institutors and SME entrepreneurs set up sixty stalls in the fair.

News: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ Mar-13-2011