The local currency, Taka, has continued to depreciate against UK pound and Euro for the last two days until Thursday.
The value of almost all major currencies against taka, according to the exchange rate chart of the Janata Bank, remained unchanged.

The pound was traded between Tk 128.40 and 132.40 up by Tk 0.2 and 0.2 respectively, on Thursday compared to the previous day’s exchange rate.

It was traded between Tk 128.20 and 132.20 up by Tk 0.1 and 0.2 respectively on Wednesday compared to the previous day’s rate.

The euro was traded at Tk 105.00 and 108.80, up by Tk 0.2 and 0.2 respectively on Thursday, compared to the preceding day’s rate.

It was traded between Tk 104.8000 and 108.6000, up by Tk 0.4 and 0.4 respectively on Wednesday on the previous day’s rate.

On Thursday, the US dollar was exchanged at Tk 81.45 and sold at Tk 82.45 while the Singaporean dollar was traded between Tk 53.00 and 55.00.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 27th April 2012

Social Islami Bank Limited Wednesday launched "SIBL@ i bank" with a view to provide web-based Internet Banking services to its customer from anywhere anytime. Under this service customers can check their account balance, print account statement, place cheque book request, inquire cheque status, transfer fund with allied accounts and also pay utility bills.

Muhammed Ali, managing director of the Bank said that in its journey towards continuous excellence, SIBL has stepped forward in boundary less banking services, any where, any time in which specially valued expatriate Bangladeshi wage earners living and working in different countries can now check their accounts with SIBL and perform various transactions which shall ease their anxieties.

He emphasized that SIBL will grow to become the best technology- friendly bank in the country and will use all modern banking channels to deliver most wonderful and satisfying services to its valued customers.

He has also said the SIBL has focused on the latest technological development to become the Bank of choice for the technology loving future generations of the country to take forward the country to a new era of modern and dynamic bank. Among others, DMDs Md Shafiqur Rahman, AMM Farhad, Mohammad Mohashin Miah and senior executives of Head Office were present in the programme.

Financial Express/Bangladesh/ 26th April 2012

The central bank has taken a measure to ease liquidity pressure of the primary dealers (PDs) through devolving a certain portion of fund under its each auction, officials said Tuesday.

Under the step, the Bangladesh Bank (BB) has taken 38 per cent of total fund of both treasury bills (T-bills) and bonds auctions on its own account.

"The new provision of devolvement relating to the government-approved securities will continue till the end of the current fiscal year (FY)," an executive director of the BB told the FE Tuesday.

He also said the central bank has introduced the new provision of devolvement since April 1 aiming to ease liquidity pressures on the country's money market.

"The liquidity pressures on PDs will be eased during the ongoing fourth quarters (Q4) of FY12 compared with the Q3 following the new devolvement provision," the central banker said.

The central bank has taken the latest measure against the backdrop of rising bank borrowing target by the government recently to finance the budget deficit of the current fiscal year ending June.

Under the revised target, the government can borrow Tk 279 billion from the country's banking system against the original budgetary target of Tk 189.57 billion.

Besides, the BB has restructured the auction amount of both bonds and T-bills at the ratio of 50:50 instead of 92.5: 7.5 earlier to minimise fund mismatch of the PDs.

Financial Express/Bangladesh/ 26th April 2012

Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited received the ‘European award for best practices 2012’ in the gold category. European Society for Quality Research, a Spain based Financial Research Institute, handed over the award at Movenpick Hotel, Amsterdam, the Netherlands recently, says a press release.

Anwer Hossain Khan, chairman of the board of directors of the Bank, and Md Abdur Rahaman Sarker, managing director, received the award.

Syed Nurul arefeen, chairman of Board of Audit Committee, and Mohiuddin Ahmed, director, were also present.

The Independent/Bangladesh/ 26th April 2012

The central bank has warned banks against excess flow of consumer credit that might lead to create instability in the economy.   Banking Regulations and Policy Department (BRPD) of Bangladesh bank (BB) has issued a circular in this regard on Wednesday.

“The BB found that some banks have excess consumer loans and less credit to the productive sector. It might lead to unfavourable situation in the economy,” reads the BB circular.

In the circular, the BB has asked all the scheduled banks to tighten credit flow to non-productive sector and ensure adequate credit to the productive ones.

The central bank won’t allow any bank to approve cumulative consumer loans above the average credit ratio of total assets, reads the circular.

The Independent/Bangladesh/ 26th April 2012