Governor of Bangladesh Bank Dr. Atiur Rahman said that he would pull back inflation to single digit by managing revenue and monetary policies.  He was addressing as the chief guest of a meeting on ‘promoting banking excellence and integrity at the branch level’ held at hotel Agrabad in the port city on Sunday.

The meeting was organized jointly by department of off-site supervision, head office, Dhaka and Bangladesh Bank, Chittagong branch. Dr. Atiur said that the implementation of conservative monetary approach policy incorporated in the new monetary policy which would play a vital role in pulling back the inflation. The governor claimed that the market of foreign currency has been quite stable now.

The governor said the central bank has been working hard in supervising the banks at branch levels to maintain the stability in the banking and financial sector of the country. In a bid to improving the supervision activities the central bank has organized the first town hall meeting in Chittagong, out side of the capital, and more meeting will be organized in other parts of the country, he added.    

The banking sector around the globe has been going through a transition period and new risks and problems have been evolving in this sector, Dr. Atiur said, adding that “We have to adopt innovative measures to cope with the new risks and problems.”        

“We must update ourselves as the supervisor of the banking sector of the country to keep pace with the changing trend of the sector worldwide,” Atiur said. He urged the officials of the central bank involved in supervision to be cautious and tactful while auditing the branches and send the inspection report to the head office immediately after the visit as the authority can take prompt action to stop the any irregularities found.  

Chaired by Nowshad Ali Chowdhury, executive director of Bangladesh Bank, the meeting was also addressed by deputy governor Abu Hena Mohammad Razi Hasan and senior consultant Muhammad Allah Malik Kazemi as special guest. Banking Supervisor Advisor of the central bank Glenn Tasky addressed the meeting as a main orator and delivered the main presentation on the banking supervision.

The Independent/Bangladesh/ 19th March 2012

Prof. Abu Nasser Muhammad Abduz Zaher, Chairman, Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, inaugurating ATM booth at Maijdee Court branch in Noakhali recently.

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) has opened a new ATM booth at Maijdee Court in Noakhali recently.

Prof. Abu Nasser Muhammad Abduz Zaher, chairman, Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, inaugurated ATM booth, said a press release.

Among others, Md. Abul Bashar, deputy managing director of the Bank, ANM Najmul Bari Imami, executive vice president and Noakhali zonal head, AHM Khairul Alam Selim, acting president of Noakhali district Awami League, Anwar Mirza, chairman, Al-Amin Group of Industries and other branch managers of the Bank were present.

The Bank has a 1200 ATM booths of its own and shared.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 19th March 2012

Md. Nurun Newaz Salim, Chairman of NCC Bank Limited, inaugurates an ATM booth at Elephant Road in the city recently.

NCC Bank Ltd. opened two new ATM booths at Elephant Road and Maghbazar in the city recently.

Md. Nurun Newaz Salim, Chairman of the Bank, formally inaugurated the booths as chief guest. Director Ainul Kabir, sponsor Kazi Monirul Alam and managing director Mohammed Nurul Amin were present as special guests.

Among others, deputy managing directors T M Faruque Chowdhury and Akhtar Hamid Khan, executive vice president Md. Omar Faruque Bhuiyan and senior officials of the Bank were present on the occasion.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 19th March 2012

A corporate partnership agreement was signed between weekly magazine First News and First Security Islami Bank Limited on Thursday at the head office of the Bank in Gulshan in the city.

Under the agreement, First Security Islami Bank Limited (FSIBL) will subscribe to First News every week for senior executives, branches, libraries and other important places of the Bank.

Bashir Ahmed, Managing Editor of First News, and Azam Khan, Head of Marketing and Development of First Security Islami Bank Limited signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

Syed Waseque Md Ali, Deputy Managing Director of First Security Islami Bank Limited, Shaily Fatima, Assistant Editor of First News and other senior executives of both the organisations were present at the signing ceremony.

The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ 19th March 2012

Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman speaks at inaugural session of a daylong workshop at the “Regional Town Hall Meeting” for the supervisors of the central bank's Chittagong and Sylhet offices at Hotel Agrabad in Chittagong yesterday.

The Bangladesh Bank governor yesterday said he expects to see changes in the manner the central bank conducts banking supervision.

The banking regulator will constantly be more and more focused on risk, and less on routine tasks, as most of the supervisors of it are involved in the on-site inspection process, said Atiur Rahman.

"You'll be particularly interested in the changes we have planned in on-site supervision," he said at the inaugural session of a daylong workshop at the “Regional Town Hall Meeting” for the supervisors of the central bank's Chittagong and Sylhet offices.

The Department of Off-site Supervision, Dhaka and Bangladesh Bank, Chittagong jointly organised the workshop at Hotel Agrabad on "Promoting banking excellence and integrity at the branch level".

"Banking has changed and as banking regulators we must also change. The old assumptions, old certainties and old procedures just aren't sufficient anymore," Rahman said.

There are risks and vulnerabilities in the country's banking sector, and the central bank has to work harder and work smarter to uncover these risks and promote best practices in banks, he said.

"This is what we mean by promoting banking excellence."
Above all, best practices mean sound judgment in the granting of credit, lending to legitimate borrowers who have the ability and the intent to repay, he said.

Best practices also mean diligent monitoring of all credits through their life cycles, he said, adding that banks have to maintain an internal risk-rating system for all borrowers and monitor their ability and willingness to repay constantly.

"When you are visiting a bank branch as part of an inspection team, pay close attention to the branch management. Talk to them, listen to them, ask them questions. Assess their qualifications and assess their character," he said to the supervisors.

"In many cases, information about illegal or unethical activity taking place at a bank branch comes from lower-level employees. If you see something that looks wrong, in the loan files or anywhere at the branch, say something. Tell your supervisor."

Very often, illegal or unethical conduct by branch managers or staff is indicative of the same kind of conduct at the head office, Rahman said.

Abu Hena Md Razee Hasan, BB deputy governor; Mohammad Noushad Ali Chowdhury, executive director, and Masum Kamal Bhuiyan, Chittagong general manager, also spoke.

Glenn Tasky, BB banking supervision adviser, and Muhammad Allah Malik Kazemi, senior consultant, conducted the workshop.

The Daily Star/Bangladesh/ 19th March 2012