Counterfeit currency detection BB gives 25 machines to police, RAB Bangladesh Bank on Sunday supplied 25 counterfeit currency detection machines to Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Rapid Action Battalion to prevent circulation of fake notes ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. BB deputy governor Md. Abul Quasem said the central bank had already taken a number of measures to ... Read more
bangladesh
US worried at govt action on Grameen
Urges transparency in MD selection process The United States has expressed deep concern over Bangladesh government’s actions to control over the Grameen Bank and called for showing respect to the integrity, effectiveness and independence of the Bank. It also urged the Bangladeshi government to ensure transparency in the selection of a new managing director for ... Read more
Faulty, old launches get facelift
Raises risks in journey on river routes Like in the previous years, around 100 faulty launches are getting quick fixes in docks of Keraniganj during Ramadan this year so that those could be pressed on service to ferry Eid holidaymakers. The Department of Shipping, the government body to regulate water transport, has issued notices and ... Read more
Zoo buzzing with new animals, birds
The National Zoo at Mirpur in the city is now buzzing with new inmates as the authorities procured 51 animals and 209 birds in last two months for better entertainment of the visit. The 51 animal of 21 species and 209 birds of 19 species have been brought from South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Canada ... Read more
Greens demand body to control food quality
Green activists demanded a regulatory commission to control quality of food items and drinks and urged the government to set up public complaint centres about adulterated food. They put forth the demands at a leaflet distribution programme in the city’s in the city’s Mohammadpur, Karwan Bazar, New Market, Azimpur, Palashi and Chowkbazar areas on
Taka shines against dollar
The taka has gained nearly five per cent against the US dollar over the past six months as import of products except fuel oil fell and foreign remittance rose. The foreign currency reserve touched $10.70-billion mark on Thursday as the 2012-13 fiscal year kicked off with a downtrend of opening of import LCs (letter of ... Read more
Quizzical export
Hilsa Tk 900/kg at market, Tk 480/kg for export Hilsa has increasingly become elusive and is beyond reach of the common people for its high prices, but it was being exported to India for less than half the local market price before a ban was slapped on its overseas sales on Tuesday. The exporting price ... Read more
Academic life stands jeopardised
Campus violence Academic life stands jeopardised Campus violence breaking out at regular intervals continue to hamper academic activities in universities and colleges, forcing students to bear the brunt. Teachers and students rallying against top administrators in universities and colleges offering tertiary education also spoil the atmosphere, delaying their academic
Risky stretches of 8 highways still not repaired
The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority has identified about 318km stretches of eight national highways as the most risky but no major initiatives have been taken before Eid to check the rush of vehicles on the stretches. BRTC officials said that they had identified the points in 2010–11 which needed to be repaired on a priority basis to ... Read more
Bangladesh to lease Sudanese farmland
Bangladesh yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Sudan to take a 10-year lease on Sudanese farmland to grow crops aimed at ensuring food security of both the countries. Bangladesh and Sudan will jointly produce rice, lentil, oil, cotton and other crops on the leased land and share the produces between the two ... Read more
Automation of BRTA to begin next year
The automation of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) under a US$2.7 million project is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2013. Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) will fund the “Digital BRTA” project, says a press release. An Implementation Survey Team from Korea visited Bangladesh from July 29 to
Eid spurs remittance flow
Remittance inflow rose by 17.55 percent to $1.19 billion in July from a year ago, riding on the upcoming Eid festival. The central bank governor yesterday sat with chief executives of all banks at his office in the capital to discuss ways to increase the flow of remittances. Bangladesh Bank will organise roadshows in the USA ... Read more
BB to analyse health of state-owned banks
The central bank has opened in-depth analyses of the financial health of all branches of the four state-owned commercial banks, to delve into fraudulent loan sanctions, officials said on Thursday. The drastic move by the Bangladesh Bank (BB) came after its investigation team had found irregularities in loans, of up to Tk. 2,638 crore, extended ... Read more
Pay as you talk
Mobile phone users will now pay as much as they talk, according to a new directive from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). From August 15, there will be a 10-second pulse applicable to all networks. For example, for call duration of 1 minute and 6 seconds, the charge
StanChart launches Islamic banking for corporate clients
Standard Chartered Bank yesterday launched its Shariah-based product Saadiq for its corporate clients in Bangladesh. Earlier the product was for retail customers only. The Saadiq brand will offer a core comprehensive suite of products related to cash management, trade, term and working capital financing for corporate clients to fulfil their banking
Grameen fettered
Changes to ordinance give govt-appointed chairman almost absolute power to pick MD, Yunus’ income under scrutiny The cabinet yesterday approved a proposal for amending an ordinance to give more powers to the Grameen Bank chairman to choose the managing director of the microlender. The amendment to the Grameen Bank Ordinance 1983 will undermine the autonomy ... Read more
Autonomy curbed
4 leading personalities censure govt move Civil society leaders yesterday condemned the government move to curtail the autonomy of the Nobel winning Grameen Bank as an undemocratic decision that they believe would give negative signals to the world. The cabinet approved of an amendment to the Grameen Bank Ordinance 1983, which would reduce the power ... Read more
Save the bank
Appeals shocked Nobel hero Shocked. Speechless. This is what Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus said after the government empowered the Grameen Bank chairman in choosing a managing director for the microlender. Here is the statement of the Grameen Bank founder:
JU shut after violence
Highway blocked protesting police firing on students; 15 vehicles vandalised Authorities have shut Jahangirnagar University till August 25 as the campus burst into violence over Wednesday night’s police firing on students. Through an emergency meeting yesterday afternoon, the JU Syndicate announced the closure, asking male students to vacate their dormitories by 6:00pm on the day ... Read more
UGC worried
The University Grants Commission (UGC) yesterday expressed deep concern over the current instabilities at different public universities including Buet, Jahangirnagar University (JU), Pabna University of Science and Technology (PUST) and Rajshahi University (RU). At a full commission meeting, the UGC formed a three-member committee to look