Bangladesh Bank yesterday issued a guideline for managing the environmental risks in the financial sectors, said a statement.

All banks and other financial institutions in Bangladesh will have to adopt the guidelines on environmental risk management by June 30 this year.

The environment in Bangladesh is deteriorating significantly and the key areas of decline include land degradation, air pollution, water pollution and scarcity, biodiversity resources and impacts of natural disasters.

So, banks need to protect their financing from the risks arising from the deteriorating environment scenario and climate change, the circular said.

The BB circular also said the cen- tral bank will conduct training programmes, seminars and workshops for the capacity building of the financial institutions.

News: The Daily Star / Bangladesh/ jan-31-2011

Dhaka Mercantile Co-operative Bank Limited has launched its 93rd branch at Habib Super Market in Bhola sadar with a view to offering updated banking services to the people of the island district, said a press release.

Tofael Ahmed, MP, was present at the inaugural ceremony as chief guest while former State Minister Mosharrof Hossain Sahajahan attended the function as special guest.

Bhola District Commissioner Mejbahul Islam, Police Superinten- dent Bashir Ahmed, Vhola Sadar upozilla Chairman Fajlul Kader Mojnu, among others, were also present on the occasion.

M Hamidul Hossain Tareq (Birr Bikrum), director of the bank, also attended the function, among its other officials.

News: Daily Sun / Bangladesh/ jan-31-2011

The Premier Bank’s Training Institute arran- ged a two day long workshop on “Credit Appraisal and Manage- ment” for its officers from head Office and Branches at Premier Bank’s Training Institute in the city on Saturday.

Premier Bank’s Managing Director Niaz Habib was present on the occasion as chief guest and inaugurated the workshop, said a press release.

Managing Director Niaz Habib in his speech said that Credit Appraisal and Manage- ment is an important part of banking business. He advised the participants to collect knowledge from the workshop and utilise it to the working places.

Among others, Prem- ier Bank’s Deputy Managing Director AKM Shamsuddin, Head of Bank’s ICCD Sahdat Hossain and other high officials of the Bank were also present on the occasion.

News: Daily Sun / Bangladesh/ jan-31-2011

Md Fazlur Rahman

Bangladesh Bank and SME Foundation will organise a financing fair in Chittagong in February, to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and lenders.

The two-day fair at the Engineers Institute in the port city is scheduled to be held on February 15-16. The fair is a part of the government's attempts to extend the much-needed financial services to prospective small and medium entrepreneurs across the country.

The aim of the fair is to create awareness among entrepreneurs about small and medium enterprises (SME) financing products that are available in the market.

It will also facilitate financing through a display of loan products and procedures, and required documents for funding.

It will also support SMEs to prepare new, innovative and demand-driven projects; act as a platform for match-making between the SME entrepreneurs and financial institutions; offer spot advice and guidance to potential SMEs; and identify strategies to reduce procedural bottlenecks in delivering loans to the SMEs.

The fair, which will start at 10:30 am and be open until 8pm, will also feature seminars. Besides, banks will have to answer queries made by entrepreneurs, said an official of SME and Special Programmes Department of Bangladesh Bank.

The participating banks and financial institutions will also offer SME loans directly at the fair, he said. Each lender will lend to at least five entrepreneurs.

Fairs will also be organised at all divisional cities and major district towns, such as Bogra, Comilla and Mymensingh.

fazlur.rahman@thedailystar.net

News: The Daily Star / Bangladesh/ jan-29-2011

Md Fazlur Rahman

The central bank has set up a separate desk at its Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Special Programmes Department, exclusively for women entrepreneurs.

“Women entrepreneurs will receive services directly from the desk just by making a phone call or visiting the desk in person,” said an official of the bank.

He said most women entrepreneurs do not know which banks are offering what types of products or the interest rates. The central bank will help them with information from its database.

“We will also give the contact addresses and numbers of concerned bank officials to entrepreneurs, so that they can carry on further communication,” he said.

The central bank official said Bangladesh Bank's services do not end there. “We will follow up on every case. We will contact the banks that were referred, to know whether the entrepreneurs received answers to their queries or not.”

“We will also help them find trade licences, and the types of things they need to do to run a business smoothly,” he said.

News: The Daily Star / Bangladesh/ jan-30-2011