Bangladesh Bank (BB) has formed a new intelligence unit to fight money laundering and establish more discipline and transparency in financial sector.

The unit, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), will replace the BB’s Anti-Money Laundering Department and Financial Intelligence Unit, a press release of the central bank said. BFIU will carry out its operation as per power bestowed upon it by the Anti-Money Laundering Ordinance 2012, Anti- Terrorism Act 2009 and Anti-Terrorism Ordinance, 2012 (Amended).

BFIU will now take over the manpower and activities of the anti-money laundering department.
The deputy government who has been given the responsibility of the newly formed BFIU will act as head of BFIU, the executive director as deputy head of BFIU and the general manager as operational head of BFIU.

The Daily Independent/Bangladesh/ 30th Jan 2012

A week-long training course on ‘SME Financing’ for the senior officers and SPOs of Bangladesh Development Bank Limited (BDBL) concluded at the city’s BDBL Bhaban at Karwan Bazar recently.

Md Zillur Rahman, managing director of BDBL attended the function as chief guest and distributed certificates among the participants, said a press release.

Among others, Dr Md Zillur Rahman, engineer Md Rezaul Karim, deputy general manager and head of training, BDBL, Md Muzibur Rahman, assistant general manager and Shahnaz Parveen, senior principal officer were present at the function.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 30th Jan 2012

Md. Nurun Newaz Salim, chairman of NCC Bank Limited speaks at an annual conference-2012 in Manikganj recently.

NCC Bank collected total deposits of Tk 83.32 billion and disbursed total loans and advances of Tk 72.73 billion at the end of 2011.

The operating profit of the Bank is also higher than that of previous year.

This was informed at the three-day long Executives and Branch Managers’ Annual Conference-2012 concluded in Manikgonj on Saturday.

Md Nurun Newaz Salim, Chairman of the Bank inaugurated the conference as chief guest.

Mohammed Nurul Amin, Managing Director and CEO presided over the conference while Vice Chairman Mostafizur Rahman, Chairman of the Audit Committee Mahbubul Alam Tara, Directors Tofazzal Hossain, Khairul Alam Chaklader and Professor Shahiduddin Ahmed PhD were present as special guests.

Additional Managing Director Golam Hafiz Ahmed, Deputy Managing Directors Swapan Kumar Das, Mohabbat Khan, TM Faruque Chowdhury and Akhtar Hamid Khan, other senior executives and branch managers were also present on the occasion.

Md. Nurun Newaz Salim, Chairman of the Bank in his speech as chief guest, expressing satisfaction over the growth of the Bank in 2011, hoped that the trend of success will be accelerated even further in 2012.

Mohammed Nurul Amin, Managing Director evaluated last year’s performance of the Bank and called upon the branch managers to work hard for achieving the target set for the current year.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 30th Jan 2012

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) pavilion in the month-long Dhaka International Trade Fair drew a large number of visitors.

Islami Bank has participated at the fair for the first time to showcase its different products.

The visitors who are interested to open accounts with the bank were provided with forms at the pavilion of the Bank, said a press release.

Besides, the visitors are given idea of different accounts and investment products. The visitor while visiting the pavilion showed much enthusiasm and expressed their interest about the products offered by the Bank.

The pavilion of Islami Bank was decorated exceptionally. It is set up on round pillars with a tomb at the top showing the world map.

Atop the globe, a hand has raised high bearing the passport of Bangladesh. A floating business ship, container mover, replica of globe, white heron and a spotted deer have given it a charming look.

An ATM booth of the Bank has also been set up in the fair site. Clients of Islami Bank and Omnibus and Q-cash member banks are withdrawing money from the booth.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 30th Jan 2012

K S Tabrez, managing director of Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited (DBBL), inaugurates a workshop on "SME Market Segmentation Database System" at the training centre of the bank in the city recently.

Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited (DBBL) recently organised a day-long workshop on "SME Market Segmentation Database System" for its officers of SME section of all branches in Dhaka and adjoining areas.

K S Tabrez, managing director of the Bank inaugurated the workshop at the training centre of the Bank in the city recently, said a press release.

The workshop aimed to familiarise the participants with a new reporting system designed and developed jointly by IFC, SEDF and Bangladesh Bank.

Tabrez, stated that timely and correct reporting is very much important for proper management of SME portfolios of a bank and added that the SMEs are the main source of growth in Bangladesh and it acts as a foundation and support in the supply chain thorough forward and backward linkages.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 30th Jan 2012