The government on Tuesday signed with the World Bank (WB) two additional financing agreements totaling US$74 million to improve the e-government services and air quality of Dhaka city.

Of the amount, $39 million will be spent for the Leveraging ICT for Growth, Employment and Governance (LICTGEG) Project, which aims to scale-up the e-Government infrastructure and services, through which all government ministries and agencies will be able to avail shared technology infrastructure for their systems and services.

Another $35 million additional funding will be used for Clean Air and Sustainable Project (SASP) to address Dhaka's environmental, transport and traffic challenges, and help improve the city's air quality.

Rajashree Paralkar, Acting World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Mahmuda Begum, additional secretary of the Economic Relations Division signed the agreement today at the Economic Relations Division in the city.

According to WB, poor air quality in urban area creates serious health hazards, adversely affects environment and quality of life. By reducing exposure to urban air pollution by 20%, Bangladesh could save 1,200 lives annually and avoid 80 million cases of diseases.

The additional financing will help establish five additional air quality monitoring stations, in addition to the 11monitoring stations supported by the project and a central air quality laboratory.

The financing will also help establish mobile air quality labs at all divisional offices for better monitoring and enforcement of air emissions from industrial sectors.

Further, the project will continue support to operationalize the traffic signals and address mobility needs of people with disabilities.

The credits from the World Bank's International Development Association, its grant to low-interest loan arm, have a 38-year term, including a six-year grace period, and a service charge of 0.75 percent.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has recently appointed Faisal Ahmed as its chief economist.

Earlier, Ahmed served as senior economic adviser to the BB Governor, said a press release here today. 

He was the International Monetary Fund (IMF) resident representative in Cambodia during 2011-2015. 

He also led IMF missions on foreign exchange reserve management and debt market development. 

Prior to joining the IMF in 2003, Ahmed was a visiting scholar at the US Federal Reserve Bank, an economist at the Central Bank of Turkey, and an actuary for four years for a global reinsurance company.

Bank News 24 dot com: School banking services are being made mandatory for all banks. In this case, the bank will make better or worse its impact on the central bank's assessment report. Instructions will be sent to banks in this regard soon. Bangladesh Bank governor said this information at a program yesterday. Atiur Rahman. The program was organized at Bangladesh Bank Training Academy in Mirpur on the occasion to review and recognize the school banking conferences held in different regions of the country in 2014 and '15. The banks from the program are given a crest as a recognition to the banks offering school banking services. According to the latest information from the Bangladesh Bank, 49 bank schools out of 56 banks have started banking activities. There are more than 2.5 million accounts in these banks. Among others, Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank SK Sur Chowdhury and Executive Director Md. Mahfuzur Rahman spoke in the speech. Central banks and senior executives of different banks were present. In the speech of the chief guest, the governor said, one of the main steps for financial inclusion is to make opening of bank accounts for the school students in the minimum amount. It is possible to build a sustainable future generation if the school can develop mentality of the students and provide knowledge on fundamental financial issues. Unlike their accounts, ATM cards, mobile banking, and various facilities will be provided. Currently, bank banking is optional for banks, but mandatory notifications will be issued soon.

Bank News 4 dots kamah the bank to expand and strengthen the activities of all scheduled banks to set their own annual targets directed the Bangladesh Bank.

Bangladesh Bank's Financial Inclusion Department on Sunday issued a notification has been sent to the executive virtually all scheduled in Bangkok.

According to the notification, the central bank of each branch at least once a year at an educational institution in the area of financial education among the students will conduct. 016 The program will start in January and will report on a quarterly basis by the Bangladesh Bank.

The expansion of the banking and financial education among students through the expansion of initiatives have been taken to achieve the desired goals. Banking account opening and management of the school on the banks of customizable set annual targets and the targets set for next year in the month of December every year to inform the Bangladesh Bank.
Specific action plan to achieve the targets at the same time banks have been directed by the central bank.

According to the notification, the Bank of students receiving tuition fees and other fees or charges, and to provide financial services to the students who will take appropriate activities. If the mobile financial services by taking advantage of this service will speed up. At least once a month for the mobilization of savings for the students to take the initiative to set up mobile counters.