Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Atiur Rahman and noted engineer and former adviser to the caretaker government Prof Dr Zamilur Reza Chowdhury have been selected for Sheltech Award-2010.

The awards will formally be handed over to the winners on March 12 this year, said a press release.

Each of the winners will be awarded Tk 2 lakh and crest, the news release added.

Sheltech has been giving the award to country’s eminent personalities since 1998 for their outstanding contribution to different sectors.

Source: Daily Sun/bangladesh/01-Jan-2011

Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd recently awarded prizes to 1362 students, who achieved Golden GPA-5 in HSC examination and secured the highest positions in MBA examinations from different universities.

A total of 1350 Golden GPA-5 holders in HSC were selected for the award while 12 students for achieving the highest positions in MBA examinations, said a press release.

Mohammad Ataur Rahman, former chairman of the bank distributed the prizes at a ceremony at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel in the city, said a press release.

The bank spent a total of Tk 89 lakh on the occasion, the news release said.

In the program, every student were given crest, cash taka, bag, book, notebook and a pen. A total of 1350 students, scoring Golden GPA-5 in the HSC examination this year, were selected for reception.

Islami Bank Bangladesh Chairman Prof Abu Nasser Muhammad Abduz Zaher presided over the function where poet Asad Chowdhury, Gias Kamal Chowdhury, Editor of Daily Khabarpatra, Alamgir Mohiuddin, Editor of Daily Nayadiganta, Naimul Islam Khan, Editor of Daily Amader Shomoy, Dr Rezwan Siddiki, Editor of Daily Dinkal, Prof Muzahidul Islam of Banking Department of Dhaka University and Benzamin D Kosta, Principal of Notrcdame College were present as special guests.

Source: Daily Sun/bangladesh/01-Jan-2011

AB Bank Limited opened its 81st branch at Chakaria in Cox's Bazar on Wednesday.

Shamim A. Chaudhury, deputy managing director of the bank formally inaugurated the branch at M Rahman Complex of Chakaria, said a press release.

Mohammed Ishaque Chowdhury, regional manager-Chittagong – 1, Ashraful Aziz, regional manager-Chittagong – 2, Head of GSSP Lt Col Mahbub-E-Sobhani Sikder, Head of CBL Shahnawaj Chowdury, other high officials of the bank and local elites also attended the ceremony.

Source: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 01-Jan-2011

Al-Arafah Islami Bank Ltd opened its 77th branch at Bashurhat, Noakhali rec- ently. Managing Director of the bank Ekramul Hoque inaugurated the branch as chief guest, said a press release. Vice President of the bank Engr Md Habib Ullah delivered the welcome speech. The occasion was addressed by the Chairman of Comp-anigonj upajila parishad Md Sahab Uddin Ahmed, president of Companigonj Upajila Awami League Khijir Hayat Khan, member of Companigonj upajila BNP Humayun Kabir Palash, president of Bashurhat Trade Owners Associa-tion Reazul Hoque Liton and chairman of Shirajpur union parishad Md Abu Sayed spoke. Among others, vice president of the bank Abed Ahmed Khan and first assistant vice president Jalal Ahmed, a large number of local elites, businessmen, clients and well-wishers participated on the ceremony.

Source: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 1-Jan-2011

Dhaka, Dec 30: Inter-bank clearance of cheques for about Tk 5,000 crore suffered unusual delay during the last three days because of a technical glitch in the Bangladesh Bank's automated clearinghouse. Commercial banks have been asked to have their low value (less than Tk 5 lakh) cheques cleared manually, leaving them in queues for three to four days for a work that usually that takes a day. The central bank, however, continues clearing high-value (more thank Tk 5 lakh) cheques in a day through its back-up server located at Mirpur.

A high official of Bangladesh Bank said the main server of the central bank’s clearance house remained inoperative for the last few days. “The technical problem emerged three days back. We kept the main server shut to avoid further glitch. Experts are working to bring it normal and we are hopeful that the server will resume its full operation by Monday next,” Fazlur Rahman, Deputy General Manager of Bangladesh Bank said. He said the central bank today cleared about Tk 1704 crore high value cheques online through the Mirpur server while low value cheques worth about Tk 800 crore were cleared manually. The bank cleared about Tk 2500 crore a day on an average of which one third cheques were of Tk 5 lakh or below.  “Many clients expressed their utter dissatisfaction over the delay. We are trying to settle all the cheques by working beyond banking hours,” Habibur Rahman, manager of a branch of Islami Bank said.

Naz Hossain, Head of Banking, Standard Chartered Bank, said since the master clearing house is facing problem ultimately customers have to face delay. Mian QC Chowdhury, Senior Vice President of the United Commercial Bank said their branch level transaction faced severe problems for the crisis. The central bank had launched the system in early October this year to settle payments online among 1,100 branches of all 47 scheduled banks initially in Dhaka.

At the same time, it kept the manual settlement system open as a 'stand-by' solution. The system experienced problem within three weeks of its introduction. Bankers blamed the central bank's inadequate back-up support for the debacle. They also pointed out that Bangladesh Bank adopted the new technology without sufficient technical know-how and manpower. The central bank, however, denied the allegation of poor management, saying that such a technical fault is nothing unusual.

Source: The Independent, Bangladesh/31st Dec 2010