The New Nation - Internet Edition

Over 65,000 left for abroad in January: Number of workers departing for foreign employment continues to rise; more academics to go to Saudi Arabia

ECONOMIC REPORTER

The number of Bangladeshi workers going abroad for foreign employment continued to rise as over 65,000 left the country in January this year with government clearance.

A source in the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment said the total number cleared for immigration that month was 92,000.

"In December 2007, the number was 78,000, which means there has been an increase of over 14,000," the source said.

The remittances received in January amounted to US $715 million, as compared to US $635 in December 2007.

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, who is also in charge of this Ministry, said to the media Tuesday: "These figures are most encouraging and the efforts of the government in this respect appear to be bearing fruit."

However, he likes to give priority to their welfare, and also to the matter that the workers heed the advice of the Ministry in all respects, as some problems arose in recent times.

"The missions are under instructions to pay attention to this aspect and are already reporting to Dhaka as per proforma sent to them by the Foreign Office," he said.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia will recruit more qualified academics from Bangladesh for its universities.

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, who is also in-charge of Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, said this to the media yesterday. He further stated that a group of Deans are scheduled to visit Bangladesh sometime in March to recruit professors and teachers for

King Khaled University.

"Already a number of Bangladeshi academics have joined the University, and I understand the University authorities have been pleased with their activities", the Adviser further stated.

Danish parliamentary team visits UCEP

A 10-member delegation of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Danish Parliament, led by the Committee Chairman Peder Larsen, visited UCEP education programmes at Mirpur Dhaka on February 11 last.

The other members of the delegation were the Vice-Chairman and four other members of the PAC, Auditor General of Denmark, Head of Bilateral Affairs- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and Top officials of PAC. H. E. Excellency Einar H. Jensen, Ambassador of Denmark to Bangladesh, Members of UCEP Board of Governors and senior officials of Danish Embassy in Dhaka were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion Member of the Danish Parliament and also the member of PAC Helge Adam Moller mentioned that children and their education are of top priority irrespective of economic condition and geographic location to build a world full of peace and prosperity. The Danish government and people are equally concerned about the children of the third world countries and the children of Denmark and support to UCEP is a testimony of their feeling for the underprivileged children of Bangladesh, he added. He also praised the role of UCEP in paving the future of thousands of underprivileged working children.

In his address of welcome Chairperson of UCEP Board of Governors A.G.M. Shamsul Kamal mentioned that UCEP education program is recognised as a model for bringing about dynamic changes in the lives of the underprivileged children and their family members.

He also mentioned that a total of 30,000 working children are continuing their education and training at UCEP which is only a mere 0.61 per cent of the 5 million children not going to school due to extreme poverty. He thanked DANIDA for their continuing support to UCEP as the founder member of UCEP Donor Consortium and hoped that the Danish support for UCEP will be further strengthened in the days ahead.

The Executive Director of UCEP-Bangladesh Brig. Gen. Aftab Uddin Ahmad (Retd.) made a presentation on the activities and future challenges of UCEP, following which the delegation members were taken around the UCEP Mirpur Technical School.

Best Air makes example

ECONOMIC REPORTER

Best Air has been continuing its flights on Dhaka-Chittagong route in full swing in the current month of Language Movement and International Mother Language Day. During the first week of February, the Best Air did not delay in departure of any of its flights, which is an exemplary record in the country's aviation history. Though the departures of some flights were delayed during the period, Best Air tried its best to maintain schedule and standard of services according to its promises.

It may be mentioned that Best Aviation's chairman M Haider Uzzaman announced a reserved seat in the Best Air flight for disabled child. Besides, the Best Air announced to reserve an Alfa-1 seat for internationally renowned Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus and the country's valiant freedom fighters on January 14 the day when the Best Air started its journey.

Best Air's tickets can be procured from its Baridhara Corporate Office along with its following sales offices:

Corporate Office: House-43, Road-1/A, Block-J, Baridhara Diplomatic Area.

Gulshan Sales Office: Bara Super Market, 5th Floor, Gulshan-2 Roundabout, Phones: 9882404, 04474500000-01, 01713381077.

Zia International Airport Domestic Terminal: 044741500000.

Chittagong Sales Office: 88-89, Agrabad, Phone: 04434494960-61, 0312514245, 01713381075, and from the Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport Domestic Terminal. The 24-hour hotline numbers of Best Air Sales are 8855254, 01713381068, 8860248.

Tickets can also be booked from the Best Air's website: www.bestairbd.com

Best Air flights to fly to Chittagong at 8:00am and 7:00pm everyday and depart the port city of Chittagong at 9:30am and 8:30pm.

ACME introduces ACMINA and MENOTOX

The ACME Laboratories Ltd, one of the top pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh, has recently introduced two new herbal products-ACMINA and MENOTOX. ACMINA is indicated in anorexia, dyspepsia, flatulence and chronic dysentery, while MENOTOX is indicated in pre-menstrual syndrome, menstrual irregularities, dysmenorrhoea and dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Both the products are marketed as syrup in 200ml bottle. Indicative price of ACMINA is Tk 40/phial and indicative price of MENOTOX is Tk 50/phial.

Metro Spinning signs deal with CDBL

Metro Spinning Limited signed an agreement with Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd. (CDBL) at its Head Office on Wednesday 6th February, 2008. The Agreement provides for the dematerialisation of Metro Spinning Limited shares traded on the stock exchanges through the Central Depository System (CDS) of CDBL involving conversion of the share certificates of Metro Spinning Limited into electronic form that will help eliminate the risk of damage, loss, forgery and duplication of share documents. Delivery through electronic book entry under CDS will also result in prompt transfer of ownership.

Managing Director of Metro Spinning Limited Mohammad Ali Khokon and Managing Director and CEO of CDBL M H Samad signed the Agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

Metro Spinning Limited and CDBL Officials were present at the agreement signing ceremony, says a press release.

BIA inaugurates course on General Insurance

Bangladesh Insurance Association (BIA) inaugurated the basic course on 'General Insurance' recently at its office premises to meet the growing need of trained manpower of the country. A total of 31 officers from 21 general insurance companies are participating in the course. AKM Rafiqul Islam, Chairman and Nizam Uddin Ahmed, Vice-Chairman, AK Azizul Huq Chaudhuri, Convenor, Education and Training Sub-Committee, Mollah Md Nurul Islam, Secretary General, and ER Khan, Adviser of BIA were present on the occasion. The course was inaugurated by the BIA chairman. Roger E Marsh, Chairman, Tysers, a renowned insurance broker in London was present.

New DMD of Phoenix Finance & Investments Ltd

M. Shah Alam, has been promoted to the rank of Deputy Managing Director from the post of Executive Vice President of Phoenix Finance & Investments Limited (PFIL). Before joining PFIL, Mr. Alam was working as Executive Vice President in Social Investment Bank Limited. He was graduated in Mechanical Engineering from BUET in 1972 with First Class. He secured First Class in MBA also.

He secured 17th place in the Combined Merit List of S.S.C. Examination in 1965 from Jessore Board and got First Division in H.S.C. from Dhaka Board in 1967. He worked as DGM of BSRS and BASIC. He started his career as Senior Officer in 1974 in BSB. He is a valiant Freedom Fighter and is the present President of Gouradi Agaljhara Thana Janokalyan Samity. He was born in a respectable Muslim family at Goila in Agailjhara Police Station in Barisal.

CSR good for Bangladeshi companies

The British High Commission in Dhaka has been continuing its support to the development of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in a wide variety of export oriented factories in Bangladesh with a second special CSR training event for factory managers on February 13 at the BRAC Centre in the city.

British Deputy High Commissioner, Duncan Norman, said, "Ethical policies are good for business; this trend will only increase. CSR can give companies a competitive edge - it has become a big selling point for buyers and consumers. There's a growing realisation that CSR is the smart route for Bangladeshi businesses and can be applied practically."

The 'Good for Business, Good for Bangladesh' project was successfully launched in January 2008 by the British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury and aims to embed practical CSR measures which can actually help Bangladeshi firms gain more business, as well as support the rights of workers. The second event, entitled 'Corporate Social Responsibility in the Factory', is expected to attract even greater attendance than the first, showing the growing levels of interest in making CSR profitable and practical.

"That a large number of senior factory managers have already confirmed their intention to attend this training conference is proof," say conference organisers Reed Consulting Bangladesh Ltd, "of the timely nature of this British High Commission initiative for business development."

Senior representatives from the British High Commission and the Government of Bangladesh Departments and Trade Associations (including BKMEA BGMEA and DCCI) will also contribute to the discussions on topics including:

'Is social compliance a 'demeaning' term for a Bangladesh business? What would be a more honourable term? Moving to a 'partnership of the like-minded' - beyond the rule setting buyer and the subservient servant manufacturer

What are the characteristics of CSR in a Bangladesh factory - in supervising staff and in protecting the natural environment around the factory?

Is ISO 26000 (the Corporate Social Responsibility ISO) a threat or an opportunity for Bangladesh businesses? Mrs Ann Reed and Mr Rodney Reed, international trainers from Reed Consulting Bangladesh Ltd will make presentations at the event on 'What is in-factory Corporate Social Responsibility?' and 'Delivering the Corporate Social Responsibility the buyers and their in-store customers want'.

Under the project, the British High Commission project is also making available, for interested companies, free resources on how to make CSR work for them, including a factory CSR guide book, 'Corporate Social Responsibility, A Guide for Companies Operating in Bangladesh'.

StanChart launches 41st ATM at Mirpur

ECONOMIC REPORTER

Standard Chartered Bank has recently launched its 41st ATM at Mirpur in the city.

Tanvir Haider Chaudhury, Head of Shared Distribution and Service Quality of SCB, inaugurated the ATM services from this booth. Other senior officials were present.

This new ATM will provide 24-hour cash withdrawal facilities to all VISA, MasterCard, Cirrus and Maestro cardholders. Additionally, Standard Chartered customers can deposit cash/cheque, pay bills, transfer funds, check their balance and print mini-statement of their accounts any time of the day, seven days a week all year round.

Standard Chartered Bank plans to open more such ATM booths in Dhaka in future.

Karmasangsthan Bank disburses Tk401.88cr SME loans in July-Dec period

ECONOMIC REPORTER

The Karmasangsthan Bank has distributed Tk 401.88 crore as small and Medium Enterprises (SME) loans during the fist half of current fiscal year.

During the July-December period of 2007-08 FY, the bank has issued loans among 110614 borrowers to develop SME sector, said Chairman of Karmasangsthan Bank Muhammad Shirajul Islam.

"The bank has distributed loans among the SME owners to establish and develop poultry, fisheries, dairy, small trading, nursery and agro based projects. By this, we have created employment for approximately 3.98 lakh person," he said.

He was addressing the Branch Managers Conference-2008 in the city yesterday, which was chaired by the Managing Director (Additional Charge) Muhammad Shajahan Mia. According to him, the Karmasangsthan Bank has disbursed Tk 42.42 crore and recovered Tk 38.59 crore through its 102 branches across the country during the period.

He asked all participating branch managers to maintain their maximum effectiveness and appreciate innovativeness in the SME sector.

The meeting reviewed the activities of the bank during the period and adopted action strategy for coming half of current fiscal year.