Banking

Central bank: BASIC clients can withdraw deposits using own judgement

Posted by BankInfo on Thu, Jul 17 2014 10:38 am

On the Bangladesh Bank advice, the BSEC in a second letter last week alleged that the central bank had avoided its responsibility in resolving the matter

Bangladesh Bank has advised the clients of scam-hit BASIC Bank to withdraw their deposits from that bank using their own judgement.

Md Syful Islam, general manager of the Financial Integrity and Customer Services Department of Bangladesh Bank, sent a letter to the finance division last week, saying BASIC Bank clients could withdraw their deposits.

In June, Chairman of the Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation Md Imtiaz Hossain Chowdhury had sought advice from the finance division as well as the Bangladesh Bank on withdrawing its fixed deposit return (FDR) from the bank.

On the Bangladesh Bank advice, the BSEC in a second letter last week alleged that the central bank had avoided its responsibility in resolving the matter.

“We are worried about saving the corporation’s FDR fund in the wake of misappropriation of a large amount of money at BASIC Bank,” the letter reads.

The BSEC also suspects that its officials might be harassed by the Anti-Corruption Commission because of its large FDR fund at BASIC Bank when the ACC starts investigating the scam.

According to a Finance Ministry report, the deposits at BASIC Bank declined by Tk997.56 crore in six months this year as depositors gave the state-owned bank the cold shoulder after Bangladesh Bank had detected huge irregularities at the bank.

Bankers say the depositors lost confidence in the BASIC Bank after the central bank unearthed that it disbursed more than Tk4,500 crore in loans in the last few years violating rules and regulations.

The ministry report, submitted to the parliamentary standing committee on public undertakings on Thursday, shows that deposits at BASIC Bank dropped to Tk12,451.78 crore as of June 30 from Tk13,449.34 crore in December 31, 2013. 

News:Dhaka Tribune/17-July-2014

BASIC Bank: Blatantly looted

Posted by BankInfo on Thu, Jul 17 2014 10:16 am

Central bank's probe into 3 branches finds gross anomalies in loan approvals; report sent to ACC

Rejaul Karim Byron and Md Fazlur Rahman
BASIC Bank: Blatantly looted

The central bank has sent a report on the financial scam at BASIC Bank to the Anti-Corruption Commission, detailing how borrowers embezzled money from the state lender through fake companies and suspected accounts.
Bangladesh Bank sent the report to the anti-graft body on Tuesday, after concluding a special inspection into the scam in the first week of this month.
The central bank first inspected BASIC Bank's Gulshan, Shantinagar and Dilkusha branches in 2012 and found evidence of serious anomalies in approving loans.
Dilkusha branch, for example, doled out Tk 683 crore in loans to 16 borrowers, all of whom took the money through illegal means.
One borrower, Asif Iqbal, proprietor of Reliance Shipping Lines, opened a current account with the branch on December 4, 2011. Nahid Enterprise was the identifier.
But both the companies are fake, said the BB report.
The board approved another loan of Tk 16 crore in 2012. The borrower withdrew the money in the name of purchasing ships through four pay orders. The money ended up in the accounts of other banks.
Through one pay order, Gazi Auto Bricks got Tk 1.5 crore. Five individuals named Shakil, Aziz, Erfan, Opu and Bipu withdrew the amount from the account.
In another incident, Md Rashedul Hasan, managing director of Simex Ltd, opened a current account with the same branch in December 2010.

The board, then led by Abdul Hye Bacchu, approved another loan of Tk 7.9 crore three months later. The branch, however, did not find the borrower's residence, office and factory.
Against all these loans, the central bank's special inspection found no business transactions, as the money was withdrawn by individuals from the credit accounts in cash.
Sahara Import Ltd withdrew Tk 12 crore, without any business purpose, within 12 days of the sanction of the loan.    
RK Food Ltd was given a loan of Tk 69.85 crore without assessing its business transaction and capacity of the firm. It withdrew Tk 40 crore within four months from Gulshan and Shantinagar branches of the bank.  
"The then branch manager helped embezzle the money. It was clear that the money was embezzled in connivance with the client and the authorities of the bank," said the central bank report.
The 47-page report, which includes a list of borrowers, gives a detailed picture of how the loans were approved and withdrawn in clear violations of rules.
In Gulshan branch, 12 clients took out Tk 297 crore through pay orders or in cash.
One client, SFG Shipping Line, was given a loan of Tk 37.54 crore. He transferred the money to five companies, with accounts with other banks, through pay orders. All these companies are fake.    
The report also contains a list of 40 pay orders that were transferred from a number of loan accounts at Shantinagar branch to suspected accounts in the same branch in 2012. Each pay order transferred funds between Tk 50 lakh and Tk 1 crore.   
The central bank suspects a chunk of Tk 4,500 crore embezzled from BASIC Bank has gone out of the country, officials said.
The report was also sent to the anti-money laundering unit of Bangladesh Bank to see whether the money was laundered.  
The latest inspection was aimed at identifying the actual beneficiaries of the scam by digging deep into specific accounts.
The report said the BASIC Bank's board and its credit committee at the headquarters ignored the negative observation from branches on a number of loan proposals and approved them without following due diligence.
At least on one occasion, BASIC Bank flouted instructions from the central bank.
The central bank had ordered the state bank to submit a report containing details of loans beyond Tk 1 crore, but the report never reached the BB, according to the report.

News:The Daily Star/17-July-2014

Bank Asia holds performance review confce

Posted by BankInfo on Thu, Jul 17 2014 10:07 am

A Rouf Chowdhury, Chairman, Bank Asia Limited, is seen at the Semi-Annual Performance Review Conference-2014 of the bank at a hotel in Dhaka recently.

 Bank Asia Limited organised the Semi-Annual Performance Review Conference-2014 at a hotel in Dhaka on Saturday.

A Rouf Chowdhury, Chairman of the bank and chief guest of the programme, inaugurated the conference, said a press release.

Vice Chairman AM Nurul Islam, Chairman of Board Executive Committee Rumee A Hossain, Chairman of Board Audit Committee Mohammed Lakiotullah, Directors M. Irfan Syed, Md Mashiur Rahman and Shah Md. Nurul Alam, and President and Managing Director Md. Mehmood Husain, among others, were present.

News:Daily Sun/17-July-2014

Al-Arafah Islami Bank holds discussion

Posted by BankInfo on Thu, Jul 17 2014 09:59 am

Prof. Dr. A.R.M. Ali Haidar Murshidi, Chairman of Islamic Studies Department of Dhaka University, Md. Mofazzal Hossain, Deputy Managing Director of Al-Arafah Islami Bank Ltd and Mohammad Yunus, Managing Director of Yunus Group and Vice Chairman of Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd, are seen at a discussion on ‘Ramjan o Noitikota’ at New Elephant Road Branch of Al-Arafah Islami Bank in Dhaka recently.

 Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited organised a discussion meeting on ‘Ramjan o Noitikota’ (Ramadan & Ethics) at its New Elephant Road Branch in Dhaka recently.

Md. Mofazzal Hossain, Deputy Managing Director of the bank was present at the discussion as chief guest, said a press release.

Prof. Dr. A.R.M. Ali Haidar Murshidi, Chairman of Islamic Studies Department of Dhaka University spoke as the key discussed on the topic.

Mohammad Yunus, Managing Director of Yunus Group and Vice Chairman of Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd was present as special guest.

Md. Nizamul Haque Chowdhury, Branch Manager and Vice President of the bank presided over the meeting.

News:Daily Sun/17-July-2014

BRICS nations ink deal to create $100bn dev bank

Posted by BankInfo on Thu, Jul 17 2014 09:55 am

The leaders of the five BRICS countries have signed a deal to create a new $100bn (£58.3bn) development bank and emergency reserve fund, reports BBC Online.

The BRICS group comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The capital for the bank will be split equally among the five participating countries.

The bank will have a headquarters in Shanghai, China and the first president for the bank will come from India.

Brazil's President, Dilma Rousseff, announced the creation of the bank at a BRICS summit meeting in Fortaleza, Brazil on Tuesday.

The halls of Fortaleza's conference centre were full of whispers about whether or not these BRICS nations - which often see each other more as rivals than friends - could agree a deal on the development bank.

But challenges were overcome and the announcements were made. Despite their political and economic differences, the one thing these countries do agree upon is that rich countries have too much power in institutions like the World Bank and the IMF.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's comments made that feeling crystal clear - the BRICS countries, she said, have the power to introduce positive changes - ones that they think are more equal and fair.

At first, the bank will start off with $50bn in initial capital.

The emergency reserve fund - which was announced as a "Contingency Reserve Arrangement" - will also have $100bn, and will help developing nations avoid "short-term liquidity pressures, promote further BRICS cooperation, strengthen the global financial safety net and complement existing international arrangements". 

News:Daily Sun/17-July-2014
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