The New Nation - Internet Edition

Fish fry worth Tk 97 lakh to be distributed among Sidr-hit fish farmers in Jhalakati

UNB, Jhalakati

Fish fry worth about Tk 97 lakh will be distributed among 3,512 Sidr-hit fish farmers of the district to make them self-reliant.

Deputy Commissioner Horiprasad Pal inaugurated the programme by distributing 2.8 lakh fry among 154 fish farmers of Basonda union in Sadar upazila Thursday.

Local NGO JDS is implementing the programme with the financial assistance of USAID.

DBBL earns operating profit of Tk 1,089m in first half of 2008: Deposit stands Tk 45,366.46m, loans and advances Tk 39,311.19m

BUSINESS REPORT

The 81st meeting of the Board of Directors of Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited was held at the bank's Board Room, Head Office in the city on July 9.

The Board approved the half yearly provisional un-audited financial statements-2008.

The meeting was presided over by Abul Hasnat Mohammad Rashidul Islam, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

All the Directors including the Independent Director Prof Dr Irshad Kamal Khan attended the meeting. At present, Prof Khan is the Chairman of the Department of Economics, University of Chittagong and he is also the Vice President of Bangladesh Economic Association.

Among others, the half yearly provisional un-audited financial statements as on June 30, 2008, were discussed in the meeting. During the first half of the current year, the bank earned an operating profit of Tk 1,089.14 million as against the corresponding figure of Tk 675.42 million of the previous year showing a growth rate of 61.26 per cent. The net profit after provision and tax is Tk 462.68 million. As on June 30, 2008, total deposit of the bank stood at Tk 45,366.46 million as against the corresponding figure of Tk 43,342.75 million of the previous year and loans and advances stood at Tk 39,311.19 million as against the corresponding figure of Tk 32,933.17 million of the previous year marking a growth rate of 4.67 per cent and 19.37 per cent respectively. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) as on June 30, 2008 stood at 10.30 per cent as against Bangladesh Bank's minimum requirement of 10 per cent.

A great success of National Bank Public School and College

National Bank Public School & College located at Moghbazar has achieved a glorious result in the SSC Exam-2008. The most remarkable event is that 43 students have obtained A+ out of 72 (in Science Group 29 & in Business Studies Group 14).

As soon as the result was published, the students of this school expressed their joy in a festive manner on the 26 June. The teachers as well as the guardians are also highly pleased at their performance.

It is learnt that because of the efficient Principal, Colonel Mokarram Ali Khan (Retd) this glorious success was possible in the institution in his very joining year. So far this is the best result of the school since its inception. In this regard, it may be mentioned here that for the betterment of educational quality, he was highly praised before as a Principal in very renowned colleges like Rajuk Uttara Model College, Faujdarhat Cadet College & Rangpur Cadet College, where the students were able to make the best result in the country.

According to the Principal, this brilliant result has been possible because of the concerted efforts undertaken by the students, teachers and the guardians as well.

He also mentioned that the effective guidance and skilful management of the Governing Body under the leadership of National Bank Authority has also contributed in making such a good result. He also expects that the institute will have better results in the days to come.

Emirates Airline pre-launch events for Los Angeles and San Francisco

DUBAI, UAE. - In advance of its launch of the world's first non-stop services from Dubai to Los Angeles and San Francisco, Emirates Airline recently completed the final installment of its tour of five West Coast roadshows for the US travel industry at an exclusive event held at the Fairmont San Jose, California. The star of the shows was the Emirates newly-designed First Class Private Suite- one of the many outstanding products that has highlighted the airline's reputation for delivering excellence in customer service and comfort.

Led by Emirates Airline executives and emcee Bill Rancic, winner of the first season of the popular U.S. television series, The Apprentice, the San Jose event featured a multi-media presentation about Dubai and Emirates, live entertainment, as well as an opportunity to sit in the Boeing 777-200LR First Class Private Suite. The new suite for First Class passengers features an extra-large seat that reclines to become a fully-flat bed, a 23" wide-screen Len screen that offers more than 1,000 channels of entertainment and is equipped with individual storage, a coat closet, vanity desk and personal mini bar.

"The San Francisco Bay Area is undoubtedly one of the most innovative high-tech business centres in the U.S., if not the world. Emirates' direct route will create a new, highly convenient opportunity for Bay Area companies to do business in Dubai," said Nigel Page, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, The Americas. "Our new Angeles service will connect travellers to the Capital of the world's entertainment industry. Coinciding With the establishment of a growing media industry in Dubai, the L.A. route represents excellent access for growing business connections. Both services will also expand access for leisure travellers interested in visiting California- one to the most popular tourist destinations in the United States."

The roadshows were kicked-off in Phoenix, Arizona on 6th June followed by San Francisco on 12th June, Orange County, California on 18th June, Los Angeles 19th June and finally San Jose, California on 26th June. Combined, the events were attended by close to 4,000 travel and cargo agents from the western United States. The Los Angeles roadshow, a lavish affair held at Paramount Studios, was attended by more than 1,200 industry professionals.

UK to invest US$ 6.058 ml in Adamjee EPZ

BUSINESS REPORT

M/s. AMCS Textiles Limited, a British company, will set up a Specialised Garments Industry in the Adamjee Export Processing Zone.

This 100% foreign owned company will invest initially about Taka 43 crore in setting up their plant and will produce Men's and Ladies Overcoats, Suits and Bespoke Outerwear.

The company will also create employment opportunity for 1566 Bangladeshis including 10 foreign nationals.

An agreement to this effect was signed between the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and the M/s. AMCS Textiles in BEPZA Complex, Dhaka on Thursday.

Prasanta Bhushan Barua, Member (Investment Promotion) of BEPZA and Syed Ahmed, Managing Director of M/s. AMCS Textiles signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations. Officials of BEPZA and the company were present on the occasion.

Grameenphone and Centre for Liberation War Studies sign deal

BUSINESS REPORT

Grameenphone Ltd and the Centre for Bangladesh Liberation War Studies signed a Memorandum of Understanding on July 6, 2008.

Under the MoU, Grameenphone will sponsor the publication and distribution of six comic books on the Liberation War.

Khalid Hasan, Director, Corporate Affairs, Grameenphone, and Major Kamrul Hassan Bhuiyan (Retd), Chairman and Chief Researcher of Centre for Bangladesh Liberation War Studies, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

The stories in the comic books will be based on true events of the heroics of our freedom fighters.

The targeted beneficiaries are school children, aged between 6 and 12 years. The aim of these comics is to familiarise children with the country's Liberation War of 1971, and in the process create a sense of love and pride in them for their motherland. These comic books will be distributed at free of cost among the students of the primary schools of the country.

The Center for Bangladesh Liberation War Studies is a research organisation, which collects stories on the Liberation War from various parts of the country and from authentic sources.

The objective of the organisation is to spread the stories of the untold heroic activities of the freedom fighters to the new generation.

Warid offers bonus to inactive subscribers

Warid Telecom is offering a special bonus talk-time for its Zem prepaid subscribers from Monday. Subscribers who remained inactive since March can avail the latest offer.

Under the offer, those inactive subscribers can enjoy free talk-time, SMS and voice SMS services by simply recharging their accounts with only Tk 10 and above. Subscribers must have to recharge their accounts within July 31 to avail the fabulous offer. The offer will remain valid till the month of September. Customers will get the bonus benefits on every first week of August, September and October if they recharge their accounts with any amount of money every month from July.

The subscribers could use the bonus airtime for making calls to other operators while the SMS could be sent to Warid network only and voice SMS to any operators' network.

"I hope, the new bonus offer will encourage inactive customers to use their connections. It will help us provide our high quality services to our valued subscribers in future," said Zeeshan K Haq, Warid Telecom's Senior Manager of Marketing.

Warid Telecom, a subsidiary of UAE-based Abu Dhabi Group, launched its commercial operation in Bangladesh on May 10, 2007 as the sixth mobile phone operator. Within one year, the company became fourth largest operator by acquiring over three million subscribers.

Standard Chartered Bank opens new ATM at Dhanmondi

Standard Chartered Bank has launched a new ATM Booth at Satmasjid Road (Road 7/A), Dhanmondi on 2nd July. Tanvir Haider Chaudhury, Head of Shared Distribution and Service Quality of SCB inaugurated the ATM Services from this booth. Other senior officials of the bank were present on the occasion.

This new ATM will provide 24-hour cash withdrawal facilities to all VISA, Master Card, Cirrus and Maestro cardholders. Additionally, Standard Chartered customers can also deposit cash/cheque, pay bills, transfer funds, check their balance and print mini-statement of their accounts any time of the day, 7 days a week all year round.

Standard Chartered Bank currently has 46 ATMs spread across Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Narayanganj, Khulna and Bogra and plans to continue expanding their network.

Shahjalal Islami Bank holds course for trainee officers

BUSINESS REPORT

A week long foundation course for the newly recruited Trainee Senior Officers of Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited (SJIBL) was inaugurated on July 7 at its Training Institute.

Muhammad Ali, Managing Director of the bank inaugurated the course as the chief guest.

In his speech, Ali said that the training program would help the participants to increase their professional skills, knowledge and efficiency.

He urged the participants for applying the knowledge and experiences in their respective assignment acquired from the training programme.

Among others, Executive Vice President Md Ghulam Wahab, Senior Vice President Anisul Kabir and Head of HRD Mustaque Ahmed were present on the occasion.

Dhaka Bank Foundation donates Taka 1.2m to BIRDEM

As a part of the corporate social responsibility Dhaka Bank Foundation has provided Taka 1.2 million as donation in the year 2007 to Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (BIRDEM) as a gesture of humanitarian consideration for the dialysis treatment of the financially needy persons. Mohammed Hanif, Vice Chairman, Dhaka Bank Limited formally handed over this donation to Professor A. K. Azad Khan, President, Diabetic Association of Bangladesh on July 8 at BIRDEM Conference Centre.

Among others, Shahed Noman, Managing Director, Dhaka Bank Limited, Major General (Retired) Professor Ziauddin Ahmed, Director General BIRDEM, Professor Nazmun Nahar, Director, Clinical Services, BIRDEM, Dr. Abul Mansur, Project Director, Kidney Transplant Unit, Farid Kabir, Deputy Director, Publication & Public Relations, Azam Khan, Assistant Vice President, Dhaka Bank Limited were present on the occasion.

ACME introduces herbal product MENOCARE

The ACME Laboratories Ltd, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh has recently launched a new herbal product MENOCARE.

The active ingredient of MENOCARE is dried rhizome of Black cohosh (Botanical name: Cimicifuga racemosa). MENOCARE is indicated in menopausal complaints (hot flashes, mood disturbances, palpitation, vaginal dryness, sleep disorder, joint and muscle pain) and premenstrual discomfort. It is effective and safe medicine for female patients. It is available as 40 mg capsule in plastic container and each plastic container contains 30 capsules. The indicative price of MENOCARE is Tk 5 per capsule.