The World Bank (WB) will provide Tk 250 crore for the Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans under a project, Strengthening Regional Co-operation for Wildlife Conservation (SRCWC). Anderson, vice-president of WB’s sustainable development wing told state minister for environment and forest Dr Hasan Mahmud during a meeting at his secretariat office on Saturday.
Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan have taken up such projects. Appreciating Bangladesh's steps on conservation of tigers, to increase their population under the Tiger Action Plan funded by the WB, Anderson said, the bank will continue its assistance for the purpose.
She also assured the state minister of the WB assistance on the ‘Dhaka Environment Workers Project' (DEWP). Prevention of water contamination of the surrounding rivers of the capital, establishment of a control room at the department of environment and setting up of   cluster of effluent treatment plants in the industrial areas would come under the DEWP, Inger said.
The WB, vice-president further told Dr Hasan that the WB would also provide assistance on development of Bangladesh's 'carbon positive agriculture'.
Thanking thanks to WB's vice-president Inger, the state minister said, “The WB is playing a vital role in conservation of environment and wildlife in Bangladesh.”
Later, the visiting WB official called on food and disaster management minister Dr MA Razzaque at his secre-tariat office.

News: The Independent/ Bangladesh/ Feb-21-2011

Bank Asia arranged its ‘Annual Conference 2011’ at a city hotel recently.

A Rouf Chowdhury, chairman of the bank, inaugurated the conference at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel as the chief guest, said a press release.

Vice Chairman Mohammed Lakiotullah, Erfanuddin Ahmed, president and managing director of the bank, Rumee A Hossain, chairman of Audit Committee, Directors---AM Nurul Islam, Mashiur Rahman, Shah Mohammad Nurul Alam, Nafees Khundker and Faisal Samad were also present on the occasion.

The conference made a critical review of bank’s activities in the ending year. Based on the experiences of the previous year, strategies and action plans were also set up at the conference to face the challenges ahead, the news release added.

Importance was also laid on optimal utilisation of the bank’s resources and enhancement of the standard of customer services.

News: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ Feb-2011

Bangladesh Bank (BB) is to provide potential entrepreneurs with adequate financial assistance for setting up agro-processing industry in the Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT).

The central bank is ready to help develop agro-processing industry in the CHT area for the benefit of the farmers who produce large amount of fruit, vegetables and other perishable goods every year, the BB Governor Dr Atiur Rahman told BSS in an exclusive interview. The governor, who came to the hill district last week to inaugurate the first ever conference of the ginger and turmeric producers of the country, told BSS that the central bank was ready to finance agro-processing industry.

“But potential entrepreneurs should come forward first,” he said.

Hundreds of farmers in the three hill districts produce plenty of pineapple, orange, banana, papaya, jackfruit and mango every year, but do not get fair prices of the perishable produces only because of lack of proper marketing facilities.

Apart from these fruit and vegetable, a large number of farmers in the area are now producing some major spices including ginger and turmeric, which are meeting around one-forth of the local demands.

The farmers in this area believe that they would get proper prices of their produces with development of agro-processing industry and proper marketing chain.

News: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ Feb-2011

IFIC Bank Ltd recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PRAN-RFL Group for providing banking facilities to PRAN Group.

Fariduddin Al Mahmood, executive vice president and head of Corporate Banking and Marketing of IFIC Bank, Ms. Uzma Chowdhury, director for Finance of PRAN-RFL Group, signed the agreement on behalf of respective sides, said a press release.

Mohammad Abdullah, managing director of IFIC, Deputy Managing Directors Zaitun Sayef and Mati-ul-Hasan, other high officials of the bank and PRAN-RFL Group, were also present during the agreement signing.

News: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ Feb-2011

Agrani Bank Ltd, a state-owned commercial bank, took the lead by opening 4,474 farmers’ accounts in the week starting from 3rd February.

The total number of farmers’ accounts opened in the week reached 4,617, the figures released by Bangladesh Bank showed.

Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) and Basic Bank opened 139 and 4 farmers’ accounts respectively during the week.

As the figures showed, no farmers’ account, however, was opened at other state-owned commercial and specialised banks namely Sonali, Rupali, Janata and Bangladesh Krishi Bank in the said period.

Bangladesh Krishi Bank remains at the top in regard of opening farmers’ accounts with the number 2.40 million accumulated so far, while Sonali Bank Ltd opened 2.15 million, Janata Bank 1.41 million, Agrani Bank 1.34 million, Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank 1.34, Rupali Bank 486, 651 and Basic Bank 107 farmers’ accounts. The total accumulated number of farmers’ accounts opened at these banks increased to over 91 million till the week.

Early last year, Bangladesh Bank directed the state-owned commercial and specialised banks to allow the farmers to open accounts at the initial deposit of Tk 10 to get government subsidies without any hassle.

The banks responded widely to the direction given by the central bank and helped the farmers get the government-provided benefits for agriculture sector with more transparently.

Bangladesh Bank Governor dr Atiur rahman said bank accounts for farmers have been opened for free of charge with a nominal initial deposit of only Tk 10. “These accounts are being used to disburse government input subsidies to the farmers. These accounts will also facilitate small savings, revolving loans, remittances etc”, he added.

News: Daily sun/ Bangladesh/Feb-20-2011