Speakers at a training session on banking put emphasis Monday on bankers-farmers relations for making grass root level bank operations success.

They also viewed that the effective banking activities could be the means of boosting agricultural productions that may lead to food security in the country’s northwest region.

They were addressing the inaugural session of a six-week foundation training course for the newly appointed senior officers and officers of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) at its training institute here.

RAKUB Managing Director Pradip Kumar Dutta addressed the session as the chief guest while Director Prof Dr Rustam Ali and Deputy Managing Director Abu Hanif Khan spoke as special guests with principal of the institute Mozammel Haque in the chair. The speakers said the loan disbursement activities should be more need-oriented and pro-farmers so that the target groups especially the farmers and the other concerned could derive the benefits of the lending programme properly.

They highlighted the importance of the Bank in agricultural development of the northwest Bangladesh and asked the participating officers to acquire knowledge from the training and properly apply those in the professional fields for boosting agricultural productions.

As the largest development partner in the agricultural sector of the northwest Bangladesh, RAKUB plays a vital role to earn economic emancipation and free the nation from poverty and hunger through boosting credit-flow to the potential agricultural fields, they added.

In this regard, they asked them to discharge their duties with utmost sincerity and honesty to brighten the image of the Bank.

The Independent/ Bangladesh/ 22-May-2012

In an effort to reduce government borrowing from banks, the central bank instructed executives of all scheduled banks and their branches to motivate people to invest more in national saving instruments. Different types of savings certificate are known as key instruments for government to mobilise funds for deficit financing.

But people, according to sources, have seemingly turned away from investing in this once 'most safe' option.
Even an increase in interest has failed to woo the clients.

As a result, the government's target of raising Tk 60 billion through sales of savings certificates to finance the budget deficit for the current fiscal now seems to be a 'distant dream'.

Amidst this situation, Bangladesh Bank issued a circular recently expressing its resentment, as sales of savings instruments did not pick up despite increase of interest rates. “Despite adopting various steps including increase in interest rates, sales of the national savings instruments still remain very sluggish,” said the directive urging officials to cooperate as well as encourage the clients to invest in various scheme of national savings instruments.

Alongside a fall in the sales of savings instruments in recent times, the savers are learnt to be encashing their savings instruments and depositing the money with banks as they offer higher interests.

“It is learnt that officials of concerned departments are not cooperating rather discouraging people in various ways not to invest in savings instruments,” said the directive issued by Debt Management Department of Bangladesh Bank. It urged officials to help people to participate in nation development activities by involving themselves with national saving schemes.

The recent statistics of saving certificate sales in the first eight months of this fiscal show the income from savings certificates is in the red, which means there was apparently no sale of savings instruments during this period. The earnings from certificate sales have exceeded the amount paid to the clients as interests.

Sources in financial sector informed that huge amount of money of the people are stuck in the capital market. When the market was doing well, people had put money there through selling their savings certificates. The government is now offering more than 13 per cent interest on those certificates.

"However, after the capital market crash, no one is selling shares at a loss and they are waiting for an opportune moment to recover their investments,” said an analyst.

The Independent/ Bangladesh/ 22-May-2012

Badiur Rahman has been re-elected chairman of Al-Arafah Islami Bank Ltd. The Board of Directors of the Bank at its 225th meeting Sunday re-assigned him as the chairman unanimously for the fifth time, said a press release Monday.

According to the decision of the meeting, Badiur Rahman will continue his responsibilities for the period until the next Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Bank.

The Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 22-May-2012

Helal Ahmed Chowdhury, Managing Director of Pubali Bank Limited, addresses an orientation course for the newly-recruited Junior Officers (Cash) at the Bank's Training Institute in Dhaka.

Pubali Bank Limited organised an 'Orientation Course' for the newly-recruited Junior Officer (Cash) at the Bank's Training Institute in Dhaka.

The main objective of the course was to familiarise the participants with the concepts, principles, rules, regulations, laws and practices of Pubali Bank, said a press release Monday.

Helal Ahmed Chowdhury, Managing Director of Pubali Bank Limited inaugurated the orientation course as chief guest while MA Halim Chowdhury, Additional Managing Director of the Bank was present as special guest.

In his speech, Helal Ahmed Chowdhury urged everyone to work sincerely and honestly. He advised to the officials of the Bank to equip with diversified banking knowledge to cope with the present competitive global market.

The Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 22-May-2012

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman paid a courtesy call on President Zillur Rahman at Bangabhaban here Sunday.

The governor presented the President commemorative co-ins that the central bank released on the occasion of 40th victory anniversary of Bangladesh, 150th birth anniversary of Kobiguru Rabin-dranath Tagore and 90 years of the poem ‘Bidrohi’ of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, says a BB press release.

Dr Atiur also gave the President a commemorative note that the BB released marking the 60 years of Language Movement.

He showed the President ‘Indira Gandhi Gold Medal’ that he was awarded by Asiatic Society of India in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the field of human development.

President Zillur Rahman congratulated Atiur Rahman on his receiving the prestigious international medal.

The Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 22-May-2012