Md Farid Uddin Ahmed, Managing Director of EXIM Bank, speaks at a customers’ conference in the city recently.

EXIM Bank organized customers’ conference for its Gulshan, Corporate and Bashun- dhra branches in the city recently.

Md Farid Uddin Ahmed, Managing Director of the Bank was present at the conference as chief guest, said a press release.

Among others, Md Abdullah Al Zahir Swapan, member of the board of directors of EXIM Bank, Lt Col. Sirajul Islam, Additional Manging Director, Dr Md Haider Ali Mia, Deputy Managing Dirtector were present.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 16th Feb 2012

The board of directors of Dhaka Bank yesterday recommended five percent cash and 30 percent stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2011.

The Company has also reported consolidated Earning Per Share (EPS) of Tk 6.25 and consolidated Net Asset Value (NAV) per share of Tk 25.88 for the year ended on December 31, 2011.

The company will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 29 at Bangabandhu Interna tional Conference Centre in Dhaka. The record date for the entitled dividend has been set on February 28.

Meanwhile, the board of directors of Prime Insurance has also recommended 10 percent stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2011.

The Company has also reported EPS of Tk 1.90, NAV per share of Tk. 15.17 and NOCFPS of Tk. 0.63 for the year ended on December 31, 2011 The company will hold an AGM on April 18 at Bangladesh Institute of Administration and Management (BIAM) in Dhaka.

The record date has been set on March 1 this year.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 16th Feb 2012

Mohammed Hanif, sponsor director of Dhaka Bank Limited, inaugurates a new branch of the bank at Jatrabari in the city recently.

Dhaka Bank has opened its 62nd branch with all modern banking facilities including an ATM booth at Jatrabari in the city recently.

Mohammed Hanif, sponsor director of Dhaka Bank, formally inaugurated the new branch as chief guest where Reshadur Rahman, chairman of the Bank, was also present, said a press release.

Among others, ATM Hayatuzzaman Khan, sponsor director and Altaf Hossain Sarker, former chairman, Khondker Fazle Rashid, director, Niaz Habib, managing director, Neaz Mohammad Khan, additional managing director, Sajjad Hossain, deputy managing director, Arham Masudul Huq, company secretary, along with other high officials of the Bank were also present on the occasion.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 16th Feb 2012

United Commercial Bank Ltd (UCBL), a private sector commercial bank has achieved remarkable progress during last fiscal year and maintained it success this fiscal overcoming its previous weaker position.

The Bank has earned Tk 6.07 billion operating profit in the year 2011, marking an attractive growth of 138.04 percent.

Considering the overall performance, especially the upward trend of most of the key indicators, the Bangladesh Bank has de-listed the from “Early Warning” category in June 2011, Bank sources said.

The Bank has Tk 139.48 billion deposit which was Tk 113.07 billion in the previous year.

In three years, the Bank has gained a remarkable 2323 percent growth in terms of its paid-up capital as it was Tk 7.27 billion as on 2011, jumping from Tk 300 million in 2008. The paid-up capital, however, was Tk 1.19 billion in 2009 and Tk 2.91 billion in 2010.

At present, the Bank has Tk 16.15 billion shareholders’ equity, gaining by 268.72 percent while the amount of loans and advances is Tk 114.87 billion with 158.43 percent growth over the year 2008.

In 2011, the Bank made export transactions of Tk 76.96 billion and import of Tk 90.92 billion, the source said.

Expatriates channeled Tk 16.80 billion through UCB in 2011. In the previous year it was Tk 5.45 billion.

Gaining 4.45 percent growth in terms of Capital Adequacy Ration (CAR) in 2011, the Bank had 10.80 percent CAR which in 2010 was only 6.31 percent.

The Bank’s Non-Performing Loan (NPL) has come down to 1.80 percent from 4.62 percent in 2008.

At present, the Bank has a total of 120 branches across the country and 2982 employees. In terms of setting up new branches the Bank achieves 42.86 percent while in new recruitment it gains 42.54 percent growth.

The employees of the Bank feel that the dynamic leadership as well as enriched experiences of the present Managing Director M Shahjahan Bhuiyan has been playing tremendous role in achieving rapid progress and putting the bank gradually on a firm footing.

M Shahjahan Bhuiyan, a well acclaimed banker, has already been able to bring the Bank out from the bad repute of problem Bank and putting his best efforts in placing the Bank in the row of an acceptable and dependable commercial bank.

He has applied some innovative ideas to accelerate the banking activities. As part of it, the Bank has raised Tk 4.36 billion through issuing rights shares during March-April 2011.

M Shahjahan Bhuiyan, who has just won the “Best Banker Award-2010,” newly initiated by the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) and the Institute of Bankers Bangladesh said (IBB), told daily sun that the very exceptional performance that are visible in UCBL today was possible as a strong corporate governance concept was established in the bank management.

He said that the successful operation and growth depends upon the quality governance. Absence of good governance in many cases create obstacle in the way of institutional advancement.

He also believed that, the honest, skilled, responsible and experienced managing board can play most significant role behind the success of institutions like any bank. The expected success is possible to achieve through the collective efforts both from the management board and the operational body.

He, however, hoped to establish the UCB as one of the leading commercial banks within short span of time through the guidelines and cooperation of the management board.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 16th Feb 2012

M Shahjahan Bhuiyan, managing director of United Commercial Bank, won the country's first-ever best banker award for his outstanding contribution to steering a troubled-bank into a profitable one.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman handed over the award at a ceremony in Purbani Hotel co-organised by Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) and Institute of Bankers Bangladesh (IBB).

Bhuiyan also received a certificate and a cheque for Tk 1 lakh as the award money.

“He (Bhuiyan) has been recognised for his excellent efforts to turn a problematic bank into a very successful one,” Rahman said in his speech.

The governor said this recognition would increase competitiveness among the banks.

A six-member jury board led by eminent banker Khondker Ibrahim Khaled selected Bhuiyan for the award, Kriti Banker 2010, by assessing his performance. The jury board assessed deposit, lending and profit growth as well as the status of non-performing loans.

“The nominee's image was also considered in the selection,” said Khaled, chairman of Bangladesh Krishi Bank.

UCB's operating profit increased by an amazing average of 138 percent in four years since Bhuiyan took over the bank's charge in 2008.

Deposits and loans grew by 156 percent and 158 percent respectively between 2008 and 2011.

The BB governor said the banking industry is an important part of the economy. The economy, which faced turmoil in the past year, is slowly getting stabilised, especially due to prudent role played by the bankers, he said.

Rahman cited the example of the depreciation of the taka, interest rates and operation of banks in this regard.

“Banking is not only a monetary transaction but also a business of reliance and trust,” said Bhuiyan.

“I am aware that this award is a mere milestone in the never-ending journey of providing excellent services to our customers,” he said.

Humayun Kabir, managing director of Sonali Bank, chaired the event.

Prof Mustafizur Rahman, executive director of Centre for Policy Dialogue, Amjad Khan Chowdhury, president of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Towfiq Ahmed Chowdhury, director general of BIBM, and MA Yusuf Khan, a former banker, were the other members in the jury board.

The Daily Star/Bangladesh/ 16th Feb 2012