The Barisal main branch of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) on Saturday arranged a get-together for the Bank’s expatriate clients and foreign currency account holders.

Abu Naim Md Idris, senior vice president and branch manager of the Bank’s Barisal main branch, presided over the function.

Md Shahidul Islam, chairman audit committee, Abu Taher Md Saleh, director general of training and research academy, AKM Harunur Rashid, zonal in charge of IBBL were also present on the occasion.

Abdul Hye Al Hadi, Sultan Ahmed, Rebeka Sultana and Saklain Mushtak spoke on the occasion on behalf of the clients.

During the function, the IBBL officials assured of more efficient, sincere and speedy service for the clients by using modern banking management and latest banking technology and methods.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 30th Jan 2012

A senior official of Citibank arrives today in the country for a two-day official visit, the bank said in a statement.

Terence Cuddyre, managing director and Citi country officer for Brunei and cluster head for Citi Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, will meet senior officials and key clients of the bank. He will also review Citi's potential for further growth in Bangladesh due his visit to the country, according to the statement.

Cuddyre, who joined Citi in 2000 after 23 years with Bank of America, has held numerous international roles including, Citi Country Officer of Thailand, Country Head of Ireland, Korea, Hong Kong and China.

He also held several risk positions in North America and Asia.

Cuddyre holds a bachelor in economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MBA from the Wharton Business School, USA.

The Daily Star/Bangladesh/ 30th Jan 2012

The 41st conference of the managers of Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited was held at the city’s Radisson Hotel on Saturday.

Chairman of the Bank Badiur Rahman inaugurated the conference as the chief guest where managers from 88 branches of the Bank took part, said a press release. Directors of the Bank--M Harun-Ar-Rashid Khan, Abdul Malek Mollah and engineer Khondoker Mesbahuddin Ahmed addressed the conference.

Director of the Bank--ANM Yeahea, deputy managing directors M Rafiqul Islam, Kondoker Nayeemul Kabir and M Mofazzel Hossain, and other senior executives were present.

Speaking on the occasion, Badiur Rahman warned the managers of the current adverse economy of the country and advised all employees to go for low-cost, long-term and small deposits which will continue the current achievements of the Bank.

The Daily Independent/Bangladesh/ 29th Jan 2012

Banks and financial institutions (FIs) in the country have been asked by the central bank to strengthen efforts dedicated to build online database for providing banking services to people efficiently by avoiding risks.  According to a Bangladesh Bank (BB) circular, banks and FIs will not be allowed to provide data to the central bank manually from 1st of July.

However, banks and FIs would get time till 30th of June for upgrading online database.
Up to June 2012, the central bank would allow weekly or monthly statements of the banks and FIs through both online and manual.

In a separate circular, the central bank has made the online database mandatory for quick delivery on demand.
“This effort is aimed at making database services faster for efficient and appropriate evaluation for initiating right decision timely by the regulator,” said an official of the department concerned.  

Wished not to be named, the official said, “As regulator, the central bank is to ensure execution of prudent banking policy in order to help banks and FIs avoid risks.” 

The official said the central bank found that many banks are less efficient in credit proposal assessment that is causing classified loans to go up.

It was also found that they didn’t send credit record to the central bank regularly within the timeframe that resulted in non-intervention by the regulator, said the official. Thus, execution of the prudent guideline of the regulator is important and it is not possible without online database, the official added.

The Daily Independent/Bangladesh/ 29th Jan 2012

Md Atharul Islam, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, inaugurates MTB booth at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka yesterday.

Mutual Trust Bank Limited (MTBL) has opened a booth at the departure lounge of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka recently.

Md Atharul Islam, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, inaugurated the booth as chief guest, said a press release.

Air Commodore Mahmud Hussain, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Wing Commander Anisul Islam, Director, Dr. Arif Dowla, MTB’s newly elected Chairman, Rashed A Chowdhury, Vice Chairman, Kamaluddin Ahmed, Director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines attended the programme as special guests.

MTB Managing Director and CEO Anis A Khan, Additional Managing Director Md Ahsan-uz Zaman, Head of MTB NRB Banking Division AKM Shameem and other senior government and Bank officials were present at the event.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 29th Jan 2012