Abdul Hamid Mia has recently been promoted as deputy managing director of National Bank, says a statement yesterday.

He was the senior executive vice president of the bank prior to the promotion.

In his banking career of 31 years, he also worked with Sonali Bank, IFIC Bank, Southeast Bank and National Bank as manager.

An MSS in Economics, he also served Oman International Exchange Company in Oman as general manager.

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

Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited has organised a day-long workshop on Money Laundering Prevention Act-2009 and Anti Terrorism Act-2009 at the bank's training centre in the city recently.

K S Tabrez, managing director of the bank, inaugurated the workshop, said a press release.

Resource persons from Bangladesh Bank conducted various sessions in the workshop.

The workshop discussed various conceptual aspects of Money Laundering Act-2009 and Anti Terrorism Act-2009, the news release said.

K S Tabrez in his speech said with the increase of economic activities more individuals and organisations are coming within the purview of banking services and thereby bankers become more exposed to the illegal money which tends to undergo the process of laundering and hence require prevention.

He also advised the participants to exercise caution in handling fictitious bank accounts used in money laundering.

Md Eskandar Miah, deputy general manager, Dulal Chandra Sarker and Mohammed Mahbub Alam, deputy directors of Anti-Money Laundering Department of the Bangladesh Bank and A H M Zahurul Islam, executive vice president for training wing of DBBL also spoke on the workshop.

News: Daily Sun / Bangladesh/ jan-30-2011

Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd (SJIBL) distributed scholarships among a number of poor but brilliant students at Bangabandhu Inter- national Conference CentrE in the city yesterday.

Bangladesh Bank Government Dr Atiur Rahman attended the function as chief guest, said a press release.

A total of 250 students from different colleges, medical educational institutes and universities received the scholarship for their outstanding results.

Mohammed Solaiman, chairman of Shahjalal Islami Bank, Sajjatuz Jumma, founder chairman and Md Abdur Rahman Sarker, managing director of the bank were also present on the occasion. The governor in his speech said “Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd is contributing its support for the welfare of the people, which is the matter of proud for us’.

He mentioned that expanding helping hands to the poor but brilliant students in helping them to continue higher study is one kind of patriotism.

He thanked the bank authority for their support to the students and urged to increase its effort in this regard.

Convoking all the successful persons and organisations to participate in CSR activities, he said it is most important to participate in the mechanism for poverty alleviation.

News: Daily Sun / Bangladesh/ jan-30-2011

Siddique Islam

The market share of state-owned commercial banks (SCBs) squeezed slightly while private banks managed to increase shares in 2009, the central bank has said.

"In 2009, SCBs held 28.6 per cent of total industry assets as against 31.1 per cent in 2008. PCBs' share rose to 57.4 per cent in 2009 as against 54.2 per cent in 2008," the Bangladesh Bank (BB) said in its annual report for fiscal year 2009-2010, released Wednesday last.

Foreign commercial banks (FCBs) held 7.4 per cent of the industry assets in 2009, showing a declining trend over the previous year.

Shares of assets held by foreign banks came down to 7.4 per cent in 2009 from 8.0 per cent of the previous year, according to the report.

However, shares of assets of the government-owned development finance institutions (DFIs) were 6.6 per cent in 2009 against 6.7 per cent in 2008.

"The market share of PCBs is increasing gradually mainly due to their aggressive banking while SCBs' share decreased because of government-directed lending," former managing director of Agrani Bank Limited Syed Abu Naser Bukhtear Ahmed told the FE Friday.

He also said PCBs are giving priority to corporate clients while FCBs are providing their services mainly to multinational corporations.

"The customer base of SCBs is increasing but the volume of businesses hasn't expanded at the desired level as they are providing credit primarily to agriculture and SME (small and medium enterprises) sectors," the senior banker said.

Total deposits of the banks rose to Tk 3037.6 billion in 2009, from Tk 2561.4 billion in 2008 showing an overall increase by 18.6 per cent.

Four SCBs' share in deposits decreased by 1.0 percent point to 28.6 per cent in 2009 from 29.6 per cent of the previous calendar year, the BB data showed.

On the other hand, 30 PCBs' deposits in 2009 amounted to Tk 1792.4 billion or 59.0 per cent of the total industry deposit against Tk 1450.7 billion or 56.6 percent in 2008.

Nine FCBs' deposits in 2009 rose only by Tk 0.9 billion over the year.

In 2009, the four DFIs' deposits were Tk 161.1 billion against Tk 137.8 billion in 2008 showing an increase of 16.9 per cent over the year.

Currently, a total of 47 banks with 7246 branches are operating their business across the country.

News: The Financiale Xpress / Bangladesh/ jan-29-2011

The Annual Conference-2011 of the executives and managers of National Bank Ltd was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the city recently.

Zainul Haque Sikder, sponsor director and chairman of the bank inaugurated the conference as the chief guest, said a press release.

In his speech, Zainul Haque Sikder emphasised on improving human assets and financial assets of the bank. He also urged upon the mangers and executives of the bank for giving their concerted efforts for further improvement of credit risks and credit management in order to enhance profitability of the bank.

For holding the top position of the Banking Sector, NBL must increase their client service and proper use of his human resources, he also added.

While presiding over the meeting Neaz Ahmed, Managing Director of the Bank in his welcome speech expressed his gratitude to the board of directors and thanked the Mangers and Executives for the success. He called for achieving more success in 2011 with hard work, wisdom and passion and put some guidelines for that.

News: Daily Sun / Bangladesh/ jan-29-2011