The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The government needs to keep at least one million tonne of food grains in hand to meet crisis. It could be done by internal procurement and through import. There is no scope to ignore it because though the production exceeds the annual demand, 10 percent depreciation against wastage and poultry food should be accounted for.

According to BBS, the country produced 2,83,87,000 metric tonnes of food grains against the target of 3,29,76,000 m.t. during the fiscal 2006-07. The production of aus was 15,12,000 m.t. ( target 22,22,000 m.t).; aman 1,08,00,000 (target 1,31,80,000 m.t).; boro 1,45,00,000 m.t. (target 1,67,40,000 m.t) and wheat 7,25,000 m.t. ( target of 8,34,000 m.t). However, after 10 percent deduction against wastage and poultry food, the total production stood at 2,53,50,000 m.t. against the annual demand of 2,79,00,000, meaning a shortfall of 26,00,000 which were met by internal procurement and import from abroad.

The new target for the fiscal 2007-08 is 3.40 crore metric tonnes against the demand of 2.83 crore metric tonnes. It has been estimated that the last year's back-to-back floods and hurricane caused loss of about 20 lakh m.t. of aus and aman; yet the production is expected to reach 3.20 crore m.t. Nevertheless the actual production finally will be 2.88 crore metric tonnes after 10 percent deduction, still above the annual demand. With this, if the government can import at least 10 lakh metric tonnes of rice and wheat, there can be no reason of horror like the price running upwards at hurricane speed.

Vietnam which fought the French and the Americans for 25 years to regain independence exported rice worth 180 crore dollars during the year 2007. The success is the combination of good planning and proper implementation, and not to waste time for the past events. Bangladesh can learn a lot from Vietnam as to how to boost food production to feed own people and to keep the price under control.

The Government of Bangladesh has allocated taka 1550 crore agricultural subsidy so that the cultivation works are not hindered for want of fertilisers and diesel. But sadly, it has been observed in many areas of the country that the farmers were demonstrating for not getting the benefits of the subsidy because of corruption at distribution level.

In view of all these, the ministry of agriculture should furnish every information as regards production target, annual demand, import quantity and all that is necessary to protect the nation from obscurity.

It is also imperative to apprise the nation whether Bangladesh is a food surplus country or the food deficit country.

The Annual Managers' Conference -2008 of The Premier Bank Limited was held on Saturday at Head Office, Banani, Dhaka. Vice Chairman the bank B. H. Haroon was present in the conference as chief guest. Directors Abdus Salam Murshedy and Shafiqur Rahman were present as special guests. Various key issues including credit card, recovery and marketing were discussed in the meeting.

Among others, Khondker Fazle Rashid, Managing Director, Mokhlesur Rahman, Addl Managing Director and all branch managers and divisional heads from Head Office were present in the conference.

The chief guest B H Haroon in his concluding speech, thanked the management for achieving budgeterial goal in the year 2007.He then thanked all branch managers and executives officers of the bank for their relentless efforts in future too. The Board m members thanked their gratitude for achieving a best target in the year-2007 and they also suggested to give best service for the year-2008.

Managing Director Khondker Fazle Rashid said 1 earnestly directed the Managers to maximize profit by adopting all possible means as stipulated by Bangladesh Bank & Head Office. The managing director emphasised in the conference for expanding funded and non funded business also.

Swiss Study Centre (SSC) arranged a one-day seminar on Hospitality Management and Corporate Finance on the 5th January 2008 at Wings Seminar Hall (former BETS), Dhanmondi, Dhaka. The objective of this seminar to help individuals, institutions and the related industry concern. SSC came forward to bring awareness and convey the up-to-date information and its application to the hospitality and corporate sectors in Bangladesh and always keeping in mind about the industrial growth of this land. SSC is trying to concentrate on the overhauling the operation concept of the service industry and wants to see Bangladesh as an emerging country in Indian sub-continent within next 5-10 years if years if everyone gives effort to develop our industries Viz. education, financial, hospitality, International trade, IT and infrastructures. This seminar focused on Hospitality and Financial Industries development and offer more international features.

The main topics of the seminar were from Corporate Finance and Hospitality Management. Andre Schaffner (PhD), an educator from Switzerland as well as the President of University of Business an Finance Switzerland (UBFS), shedding light on Hospitality Management, focusing the area of Career Development in Hospitalit Management focusing the area of career development in Hospitality Management And Abu Zafar Fazlea Rabby, an expert on corporate finance as well as M&A Analyst, was discussing on Mergers & Acquisitions and its implication in Bangladesh.

Students, leading corporate people who are already in the relevant fields or sectors working viz banks, insurance, hotels, companies, government and non-government organisation, attended the seminar and there was the atmosphere of enthusiasm among the attende. Students and fresh graduates who intend to join the relevant sectors got much vital information from this seminar for future career enhancement. They also expressed their view for future need of such seminars.

The CEO of Swiss Study Centre, describes this seminar as a success and wants to arrange such seminars in future with more subjects and for broader audience, as the service industry of Bangladesh needs much further to go to mach the international standard and give the people the truth of service what they expect from tomorrow's Bangladesh.

Swiss Study Centre is also giving the chance to the aspired students to meet he President of University of Business and Finance Switzerland (UBFS) Andre Schaffner, and attend the discussion on programmes offered by UBFS. He would also assess the possible scholarship for good students whose academic excellence match with university requirement and will also issue spot admission for the undergraduate and graduate proramme of UBFS on the 9th January 2008 at Swiss Study Centre, House-31, Road-l, Block-A, Niketon, Gulshan-1 Dhaka-1212, before flying back to Switzerland.