The New Nation - Internet Edition

Body to address Ctg power, gas crisis formed

Chittagong Correspondent

A high-powered body has so far been formed yesterday to workout the strategy for implementing development schemes of the port city. The body is expected to start functioning soon with the Advisor for Commerce and Education Dr. Hussain Zillur Rahman as its head and look for solutions to on going power and gas crisis.

However, it could not be known immediately when the names of the other members of the body would be announced.

Earlier, Chief Adviser to the caretaker government Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed in a national dialogue held in the city on June 28 pledged to form a special committee to look into the mentioned issues.

BASIC Bank registers hefty growth in profit: Tk 86.64cr profit earned in first half of 2008

BUSINESS REPORT

BASIC Bank Ltd, a fully state-owned scheduled commercial bank achieved a profit of Tk 84.64 crore in the first half of 2008 registering a hefty 38 per cent growth over the previous half yearly profit.

The bank's deposit and advances also grew by 70 per cent and 35 per cent respectively. Accordingly, senior executives of the bank, after reviewing half-yearly position, in a meeting held recently expressed their satisfaction on overall performance of the institution. They also expressed high aspiration for a successful year-ending exceeding targets set for all operational areas.

The meeting, however, stressed upon close monitoring of all loans and advances and utmost attention to the deceleration of non-performing loans.

The meeting also expressed esteemed regards and thanks to the Board of Directors of the bank for its continuous support and direction in achieving such a notable growth. The meeting eventually thanked all valuable clients and customers for their continuous support to and confidence on the bank and all employees for their relentless efforts to achieve such a remarkable success.

Emirates Chairman's special sales award for EK Bangladesh team

BUSINESS REPORT

Team Bangladesh of Emirates led by Area Manager Hanif Zakaria won a special award at the Emirates Chairman's Award for Sales Excellence Distribution ceremony in Dubai.

"2006-07 was very tough for one particular country which is why this year, we are presenting a special award for the outstanding Bangladesh team, headed by Hanif Zakaria, Manager Bangladesh," said Nigel Page, Chairman of the Chairman's Award and SVP Commercial Operations The Americas, while presenting the awards.

The event was organised in Dubai to recognise the contributions of sales teams and individuals across the network.

"The standard across the network was incredibly high and the individual presentations were outstanding", said Nigel Page.

The winners of the Chairman's Award for Sales Excellence 2005-06 were also recognised at the ceremony.

"We are humbled at this recognition of our hard work. The credit goes to Team Bangladesh. I would like to express our gratitude to our valued passengers who made Emirates their airline of choice," said Hanif Zakaria.

Emirates has been serving Bangladesh since 1986, and at present operates double daily to Dhaka.

Emirates is the world's third most profitable and among the 20 largest international airlines and one of the fastest-growing. It is based in Dubai, one of the few cities in the world that pursues an open-skies policy, with more than 130 airlines in free and fair competition.

The airline has experienced rapid and consistent growth, above 20 per cent a year on average and has been profitable for the last 20 consecutive years. Financially self-sustained and unprotected, Emirates carried 21.2 million passengers in the 2007-08 financial year-almost four million more than the year before-and declared a record net profit of Dhs 5.3 billion (US$ 1.4 billion). Total group revenue was an impressive Dhs 41.2 billion (US$ 11.2 billion).

Its 116 all wide-bodied fleet includes 10 freighters and is among the youngest in the skies, with an average age of 67 months. The airline plans to more than double its size by 2012.

Turn Islami Bank into 'My Bank' for all people: Chairman calls for improvement of quality in banking services

BUSINESS REPORT

A day-long conference of lslami Bank Bangladesh Limited on 'Business Management Strategy and Implementation of Business Plan July-December 2008' was held on Friday, at Samarai Convention Centre in the city.

Prof Abu Nasser Muhammad Abduz Zaher, Chairman, Board of Directors of the bank was present at the conference as the chief guest.

Moulana Zainul Abedin, Vice Chairman, Board of Directors inaugurated the conference.

Presided over by M Fariduddin Ahmad, Managing Director of the bank the inaugural session was addressed, among others, by Kazi Harun-ar-Rashed, Chairman, Audit Committee, Engr Md Eskander Ali Khan, Director and Mohd Shamsul Haque, Deputy Managing Director of the bank.

The conference was attended, among others, by top executives, zonal heads and branch managers including Mohammad Abdul Mannan and Md Habibur Rahman, Deputy Managing Directors.

Prof Abu Nasser Muhammad Abduz Zaher, in his speech, said that Islami Bank performs with such a team of honest incumbents who are involved in the work of the implementation of Islami economics and banking system. They firmly believe that it the only way to ensure welfare. Islami Bank is for all irrespective of religion, color and creed. The aim of the personnel of Islami Bank is to present Islami Bank through its services in such a way that mass people can realise that Islami Bank is 'My Bank' and it is the bank of general people.

He urged to build up competent manpower with strong ethical values. Those who are in leadership must build up worthy manpower. The managers should build up expert managers from the juniors.

He emphasised on the development of quality in the banking activities. Quality should be given priority in all sectors of the bank and the bank should play the leading position in this regard.

In this connection, he mentioned the necessity of study and viewed that everybody should play the productive role. All should perform the role of preacher.

He mentioned the recruitment policy of Islami Bank and said that only the competent applicants are allowed to take part in the written and viva voce examinations. No influential person, even the chairman can influence the recruitment process.

Stressing the importance of balanced distribution of asset, he said fund should be invested through the specified branch where the fund is deposited. More small investments should be conducted side by side the big investments. It is sin to waste the money of depositors. It is the teaching of Islam that water should be consumed economically if abolitions is done even in the river water. So the deposits of depositors should be preserved appropriately. He said that, investment facilities should be disbursed to all types of clients in all regions of the country.

He viewed that suggestion should be taken from all for the improvement of the Bank Everyone should be tied up with the identical rope in thought and manner.

No investment can be imagined to be overdue in Islami Bank There is no chance of overdue in Islamic transaction. lslami Banking should be conducted through the appropriate compliance of Islmai Sahri'ah.

He said officials, staff and deposit and investment clients of all segments of the bank are the believers of Allah, obedient to the rules of Allah, willing to go the Heaven and fear of the torment of Hell. That is why, they are playing vital role in representing Islami Bank to mass people.

He thanked all local and foreign well-wishers who prayed for his recovery and sound health.

Dhaka Bank Ltd celebrates 13th founding anniversary

BUSINESS REPORT

Dhaka Bank Limited celebrated its 13th founding anniversary yesterday.

The celebration ceremony was held at DBL's Head Office Board Room at Motijheel in the city.

The day-long programme started in the morning with cutting of cake and milad mehfil.

To celebrate this joyous occasion, Chairman Altaf Hossain Sarkar, former Chairman ATM Hayatuzzaman Khan, Vice Chairman Mohammad Hanif, Director Md Amirullah, Aminul Islam, Abdullah Al Ahsan, Matin Uddin Ahmed Barabhuiya, Sponsor Shareholder Reshadur Rahman, Managing Director Shahed Noman and other officials of Dhaka Bank, clients, stake holders and well wishers were present at the ceremony.

Presently Dhaka Bank is operated in 17 different districts with 41 branches, one Business Centre and one Offshore Banking Unit. Dhaka Bank has built its reputation as one of the leading banks in the private sector throughout these years.

Their excellence in banking has earned them "The International Star Award for Quality 2006" from Business Initiative Directions (BID), Geneva, Switzerland. At the same time they also have received "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) award" from Standard Chartered Financial Express.

EBL offers Home Loan

BUSINESS REPORT

To help meet the increasing need for finance in construction and purchase of residential units, Eastern Bank Limited (EBL) has officially launched a loan facility titled 'EBL Home Loan' under it's consumer banking. Formally launching the "EBL Home Loan" in a press conference held yesterday at a local hotel in Dhaka.

EBL Managing Director and CEO Ali Reza Iftekhar said, "Through launching this new loan facility we have fulfilled another commitment to our valued clients, and we have tried to keep the terms and conditions for this loan as simple as possible." Under the EBL Home Loan facility an applicant can take loan up to Tk 75 lakh for a maximum period of 20 years for apartn1ent purchase, home construction, extension or renovation. EBL is offering attractive interest rates for the loan borrowers.

For a loan amount of Tk 5 lakh to 15 lakh interest rate is 14 per cent; for Tk 15 lakh to 25 lakh, 14.25 per cent; for Tk. 25 lakh to 40 lakh, 14.50 per cent; and for Tk 40 lakh to Tk 75 lakh, 15 per cent.

As a special offer, existing home loan borrowers can transfer their loans to EBL at 0 per cent processing fee and the interest rate will be 1 per cent less than what they are paying now which is subject to certain terms and conditions.

Among others, EBL Deputy Managing Director Mamoon Mahmood Shah and Head of Marketing Nazeem A. Choudhury were present on the occasion.

Mother's Care opens showroom at Banani

Mother's Care, a one stop mall for women and children opened its show room at House-54, Road-11, Block-C, Banani in the city on July 4.

Mrs Sabrina Islam, President of Women Entrepreneur Association of Bangladesh was present as the chief guest, Towfika Aftab, Advocate Bangladesh Supreme Court was present as special guest while Chowdhury Sultan Mahmud, Managing Partner of Mother's Care presided over the inaugural function.

Managing Partners of the company Abdur Rashid and Mohsen Uddin Sohel spoke, among others.

Mother's Care will run by British management and committed to serve the valued customers by world class products and services.

'Well and trained young talents are ready to serve our customers in the best possible ways,' said Abdur Rashid, one of the entrepreneurs of Mother's Care.

City University holds orientation for students of Summer Semester '08

City University organised an orientation programme for the newly enrolled students of Summer Semester 2008 at the university auditorium.

Dr Md Anisul Haque, Chairman, Board of Governors, chaired the function while Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelley, a noted scholar and the Chief Adviser of the university attended the function as chief guest.

Mujibul Islam, Member Board of Governors and AKM Emdadul Haq Mia, Registrar of the university were also present.

Among others, Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelley, Dr Md Anisul Haque, Chairman, BOG, Mujlbul Islam, Member, BOG· and AKM Emdadul Haq Mia, Registrar spoke on the occasion.

The programme was divided into three parts. The 1st part was conducted by AF Wazir Ahmad, Head, Department of Business Administration and the 2nd and 3rd parts were conducted by Dr Engr Md Saifur Rahman, Head, Department of Textile Engineering.

Most of the faculty members were present at the programme and they were introduced by the their respective heads. The programme was well attended by the faculty members, heads of different departments and students at large.

Academic calendar, admission policy, exam and scholarship policy, accounts policy as well as library usages were briefly discussed to the students by the concerned officers of the university.

Build Bangladesh road show due in Ctg today

Chittagong Correspondent

The "Let's Build Bangladesh" road show arrives here in Chittagong district tomorrow (Sunday).

The district administration has made all out preparation to welcome the road show. The administration has earlier chalked out a three-day program including discussion meeting, debating, essay contest, cultural function, honoring the generous people and distributing potatoes among the poor. The road show will be welcomed at Dhumghat Bridge near Mirsarai Upazila, entry-point of Chittagong district, at about 10:00 a.m. tomorrow (Sunday). Later, Chittagong district administration will welcome it at city's GEC intersection at about 12:30 p.m. As per the planned programs, a daylong function will be held at MA Aziz Stadium on July 7 (Monday).

Adviser for Agriculture and Water Resources Dr. CS Karim is expected to join the function as the chief guest while Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Hossain Jamil and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Banglalink Mohammad Rashid Khan will join it as special guest. Deputy Commissioner in Chittagong Mohammad Ashraf Shamim will preside over the function.

The Road Show will leave for Cox's Bazar district at about 9:00 a.m. on July 8. The Road Show with the key slogan 'Let's Build Bangladesh' started its journey on June 1 at Panchgarh.