BRAC Bank Limited, the largest SME Bank in the country, has launched a photography competition to capture the spirit and endurance of the enterprising SME entrepreneurs.

Under contest titled 'BRAC Bank SME Photography Competition 2013', a group of young photographers will visit business establishments of exceptional SME entrepreneurs in different part of the country to create a photographic profile of the businesses. 

 
The photo-stories will illustrate the life struggles, challenges SME entrepreneurs confronted and the determination and hard work the unsung heroes exerted to succeed. 

Mr. Syed Mahbubur Rahman, Managing Director & CEO, BRAC Bank, said, "We see small entrepreneurs and their endeavor is often left unnoticed. So, we have taken this initiative to bring up their real life stories to general mass."

"The contest will not only rejuvenate co-entrepreneurs but also provide a platform to young photographers to exhibit their photographic talent to the nation," he added. 

The photographers will be selected through a 2-stage screening process by a panel of expert photographers of the country. The winner will get Tk. 1.5 lac and there will be an exhibition.

Radio Foorti, Independent TV, Ice Business Times and Fujifilm are the partners of the contest.  

The central bank has extended the deadline by two months for shutting down government-identified sick industries.

Bangladesh Bank issued a circular on the liquidation on Tuesday.

The circular has asked the sick industries to apply to their respective banks for disposal of their loans and liquidation of assets by Oct 20.

 
In a previous circular, issued on Jun 20, the deadline was set as Aug 20.

It said the other conditions of the previous circular would remain unchanged.

The Jun 20 circular had said a package, entailing loan disposal and assets liquidation, for the sick industries would be implemented as per a guideline set by the government.

DHAKA, SEPT 4: Bangladesh Bank (BB) governor Dr Atiur Rahman on Tuesday called upon all Mobile Banking Financial Institutions for implementing cost effective and flexible banking services for unbanked people aiming to expand the journey of financial inclusion. The BB governor was addressing at the inauguration of the mobile credit card “Swosti” in a city hotel, organised by Bdjobs.com.
Addressing as chief guest, the governor said Swosti formulated one step ahead for banking services among 
the unbanked and underprivileged people.
Swosti is a project of Bdjobs.com. It offers mobile banking card for the underpriviledged rural people through which customer can enjoy loan facilities. 
Meanwhile the governor said, “We need to raise awareness among the unbanked people regarding the mobile banking services for the development of the country.”
He has underscored the need for decreasing the cost of mobile banking service to encourage more people for accepting the services.
The governor said that BB has taken many initiatives for expanding the banking services such as the moderation of cheque clearing services so that people can easily make their transaction within a day. 
He appreciated Bdjobs , Dutch- Bangla Bank and Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK) for their initiative to introduce country’s first mobile banking card services through which the underprivileged rural people can receive loan facilities in a very short time.
In 2011, the mobile banking service introduces to expand the banking services to the unbanked people, said the governor and added that in this regards, BB approved twenty seven banks for corresponding mobile banking services. Currently eighteen banks are operating the mobile banking services which have already got a tremendous popularity among the rural people.
He warned the Mobile Banking Financial Institutions to maintain the BB guidelines in order to prevent false and illegal transactions. 
In this regards, he suggested mobile banking agents to fill up KYC (Know Your Customer) form for their customer. 
Governor said currently the mobile banking customers are almost seventy two lakhs, so it is important to know the customer profile for avoiding any financial irregularities. 
By using modern technology, it is possible to decrease the rate of poverty which is ultimately support for sustainable development.
Presiding the inaugural session, Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), suggested the Mobile Banking Financial Institutions for strong monitoring of the loan beneficiaries in order to smooth financial transactions.
“We need to increase productivity for sustainable development,” he said and added that we need to implement large scale project instead of small project for real development.
The inauguration ceremony was also addressed among others by Ahmed Islam Muksit, chairman of Bdjobs.com and Abul Kashem Md. Shirin, deputy director of Dutch-Bangla Bank.

Abrar A Anwar, acting CEO of Standard Chartered Bangladesh, hands over a cheque worth Tk 2,900,000 to Md. Shafiq-ul Islam, Executive Director of CRP for the rehabilitation of the victims of Rana Plaza collapse at CRP at Savar recently.

Standard Chartered Bank, Bangladesh handed over a cheque worth Tk 2,900,000 to Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) for the victim’s of Savar Rana Plaza tragedy.

Abrar A Anwar, acting CEO of Standard Chartered Bangladesh along with Bitopi Das Chowdhury, Head of Corporate Affairs recently handed over a cheque to Md. Shafiq-ul-Islam, Executive Director of CRP.

 Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited organised a day-long workshop on 'Shariah Implementation in AIBL' at Zindabazaar in Sylhet recently.

Md Habibur Rahman, Managing Director of the bank, presided over the workshop, said a press release. Md Golam Mohi- uddin Chowdhury, coordinator of the workshop, spoke at the inaugural ceremony.

Mawlana Abdul Basit Barkatpuri, Member of AIBL Shariah Supervisory Committee, Md Harunoor Rashid, Vice President and Zonal Head, Md Zahid Hasan, Principal of AIBTRA, and Md Abdur Rahim Khan, Secretary of AIBL Shariah Supervisory Committee, attended