The New Nation - Internet Edition

Pubali Bank Limited (PBL) landed its 359th branch at Ekatuna Bazar, Moulvibazar a few days ago. Chairman, Board of Directors of Pubali Bank Ltd., Hafiz Ahmed Majumder formally inaugurated the branch as the chief guest while Managing Director Helal Ahmed Chowdhury presided over the function.

In his speech, Mr. Majumder said, "Pubali Bank is committed to providing with the best and innovative banking services to feed the market in fastest possible time.

As a part of giving better services and in view of the client's increasing demand, Pubali Bank has opened its branch at Ekatuna Bazar. He expressed his optimism that Pubali Bank would surely serve its customers with utmost satisfaction by applying modern technology through this branch." In this context, the chairman urged the local businessmen to avail the facilities offered by Pubali Bank that they can expand their ventures.

Helal Ahmed Chowdhury said that Pubali Bank had been providing with better services to its customers since 1959 with a promise to retain its original tradition. The managing director added that PBL gave priority to the needs of its customers through application of modern technologies. With a view to expanding the scope of services, the bank had landed there.

Mr. Helal said, "All branches are since computerized, this branch would make remarkable contribution in the economic development of this area. He also urged all the local people for extending co-operation to the bank.

Deputy General Manager of Moulvibazar Region, Arun Kumar Sarker, local elite and renowned businessmen attended the function.

Business Desk

AKTEL, country's one of the largest telecom service providers, signed an agreement with the Pragati Life Insurance Limited (PLIL), Kamshul Kasim, Managing Director of AKTEL and M. Shefaque Ahmed, Managing Director of PLIL signed an agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.

Being a leading cellular service provider, AKTEL has always been clearly ahead by offering its customers with unique products and services. AKTEL with more than 800 corporate houses in Bangladesh is known for to its compatible products, competitive price, better call quality, friendly customer services with unequivocally best network.

AKTEL's group talk plan (GTP) offered for its corporate clients are among the most cost effective. Currently, AKTEL offers GSM digital cellular services in all divisional headquarters, major districts and cities in Bangladesh. Under the agreement, Pragati has taken a complete corporate solution including SMS push-pull service.

It is noteworthy to mention that AKTEL has already opened Nineteen customer care centers and installed more than 500 AKTEL touch points (ATP) around the country apart from traditional outlets and also are in process to open many more in the coming years.

Ms. Nora Junita Hussaini, Chief Financial Officer, and Tofazzul Hossain, AGM & Head of Corporate Business of AKTEL, were also present in the signing ceremony.

M. Fazlul Hoque, Managing Director of Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) visited Sidr-hit areas of Bagerhat district recently. He himself disbursed a good amount of loans to the Sidr- affected farmers for cultivation of betel leaf, shrimp, banana, boro crop etc. Moreover he exchanged views with bank officials government and non-government officials engaged in on-going Post-cyclone Agricultural Rehabilitation Programme and gave necessary directions to the officials of the bank. Communication Adviser Major General (Retd.) M. A. Matin appreciated BKB MD tour programme and overall. Rehabilitation activities of Krishi Bank in a review meeting held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner of Bagerhat on 18 December. Masud Alam Khan, General Manager of BKB Khulna Division, A T M Anisur Ralunan, Deputy General Manager of BKB Head Office And Kazi Baez Nowaz, Regional Manager of BKB Bagerhat Region were also among the tour-mates of the Managing Director.

Business Desk

M/s. Section Seven Ltd is about to expand its project in Chittagong Export Processing Zone. The 100 pc local owned company will diversify their production capacity with additional investment of $ 7.4 million, including the present one, to raise the total investment will rise to $ 9.3 million. This company will also create new job opportunities for 2364 Bangladeshi, including nine foreign nationals. Already 959 Bangladeshi are already employed there.

An agreement to this effect was signed between the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and M/s. Section Seven Ltd. in BEPZA Complex, Dhaka on December 19. General Manager (Investment Promotion) A.Z.M Azizur Rahman of BEPZA and S.M Khan, Managing Director of M/S. Section Seven Ltd. signed the lease agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.

Among others, Member (Engineering) Md. Farhad Uddin, Secretary M. Kamal and other officers were present in the signing ceremony.

Business Desk

M/s. Dong Bang Facilities (BO) Ltd. has decided to expand its project in Dhaka Export Processing Zone.

The 100 pc foreign owned company will enhance its production space with additional investment of $ 7.5 million, including this, to raise the investment to $ 9.143 million. This company will also create new job opportunities for 764 Bangladeshis including 04 foreign nationals. Already 123 Bangladeshis are already working there.

An agreement to this effect was signed between the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and M/s. Dong Bang Facilities (BO) Ltd. in BEPZA Complex, Dhak on 18-12-07. General Manager, (Investment Promotion), A.Z.M Azizur Rahman of BEPZA, and Ko Jae Hyeng, Managing Director of M/S. Dong Bang Facilities (BO) Ltd. signed the lease agreement on behalf of their _organizations.

Among others, Executive Chairman of BEPZA, Brig. General Ashraf Abdullah Yussuf, Member (Engineering) Md. Farhad Uddin, Secretary B.M. Kamal and other officers were also present in the signing ceremony.

A team of senior officials of Grameenphone (GP) Ltd. visited Smiling Sun Clinic (SSN) at College Bazaar, Potiya, Chittagong on 18 December and inaugurated an emergency obstetric care center thereat, a joint project titled 'Safe Motherhood and Infant Care, of Grameenphone and Pathfinder International, says a press release.

On behalf of GP, Kafil H.S. Muyeed, Director, New Business Division, Emad ul Ameen, Director, HR, Syed Yamin Bakht, Head of Information, Shuvashish Barua, Head of CSR, and Md. Aulad Hossain, Head of Chittagong Region, were present. Officials from Pathfinder International FDSR and SUS were also present during the inauguration program.

Grameenphone launched the project in partnership with Pathfinder International in May with an aim to provide with free comprehensive primary healthcare services to the economically disadvantaged pregnant mothers and infants of the country through the 'SSN' across Bangladesh.

Grameenphone helped establishment of an emergency obstetric care center at the Family Development Services and Research (FDSR) clinic, a local NGO, and one of the 317 static clinics under the SSN receiving support from Grameenphone, which has also sponsored the additional recruitment of two general physicians and 12 consultant physicians in the clinic.

Furthermore, an ambulance was handed to Samannita Unnayan Sangstha (SUS), another local NGO, for its Sitakunda SSN. This ambulance will be used for home delivery services and transportation of emergency patients.

Two of the eight millennium development goals for Bangladesh are related to improving maternal health and reducing infant mortality rates and Grameenphone is working with relevant development agencies to support the government in achieving these objectives. Under the safe motherhood and infant care project, GP is investing in improving service quality and extending access to healthcare by recruiting additional community-based health-workers upgradation of some of the existing static clinics into emergency obstetric care centers as well as providing motorized vans (i.e. ambulances) and c1inic-on-wheels.

From August to October 2007, around 2,91,3476 poor mothers and infants have received free healthcare services under this project. The project aims to reach around 800,000 mothers and infants annually.

Bank Asia has opened its first KIOSK at Shirajdikhan Bazar, Shirajdikhan in the district of Munshiganj on Tuesday 18th December, Syed Anisul Huq, President & Managing Director of the Bank inaugurated the KIOSK. A large number of guests including local businessmen, entrepreneurs and elite of the locality were present at the inauguration ceremony. KIOSK is a modern concept, which aims at making banking services easily available to the potential clients at their door-steps. It will work as a support centre and provide all sorts of information and consultation, and thus play an important role to solve the banking needs, and problems of the existing and potential clients. It is expected that the introduction of KIOSK will add a new dynamism in the activities of the Bank.

Citycell recently participated in the seminar titled 'Prospects and Future of ICT Education in Bangladesh' organized by Southeast University (SEU). The seminar was held on December 18 at the university auditorium in the city.

The seminar was opened and chaired by Professor Dr. M. Shamsher Ali, Founder Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh Open University, President of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences and Vice Chancellor of Southeast University. Ahmed Armaan Siddiqui, Deputy General Manager, Product and Business Development of Citycell joined this seminar as one of the guest speakers. He discussed about the involvement of young professionals and students in ICT for poverty alleviation. In this respect, he highlighted the importance of Citycell's high-speed wireless data service 'Zoom' for availing information about 'Location Based Fish Tracking' and 'Location Based Agriculture System'. With Zoom, people can access and browse internet at any time from any place within Citycell's extensive network. Mr. Armaan mentioned that young people can provide community information to rural people to facilitate their daily activities. He also focused on the Citycell's Interactive Voice Response System. People can have required 'Location Based Agriculture Information' through dialing some specific numbers (from Citycell phone) with this system. Dr. M Lutfar Rahman, Professor, Department of Computer Science of Dhaka University and Dr. R. I. Sharif, Dean, School of Sciences of Southeast University also discussed about the nationwide communication network for efficient Management Information System and application areas of ICT in the country. The faculty members of Computer Science and Technology from different universities and students of different disciplines of Southeast University also attended the seminar.