Bangladesh moves to remove Indian port hurdles, NTBs

Bangladesh has moved to remove the existing hurdles exporters facing at different Indian ports, in order to boost trade with the neighbour as duty-free market access remains underutilised, sources said. To this end, commerce ministry has sought information about the bottlenecks facing exporters while exporting goods through the neighbouring country’s land customs stations (LCS) or integrated check- posts (ICP) from the revenue board and local trade bodies, including FBCCI, and BGMEA. Besides, it has also requested providing necessary suggestions how to eliminate the impediments, they also said. Currently, Bangladeshi traders face different types of barriers, including non-tariff barriers, anti-dumping duty, certification, insufficient banking and warehouse facilities, rundown infrastructures and transport conditions and limited transportation between land and river, according to commerce ministry document. “There is a need to remove these existing barriers by conducting a field review to help boost trade with India soon,” says the ministry document. Businesses view that trade with India will increase manifold if the existing obstacles go step by step-and it is a longstanding demand from the government here as well as the Indian side, an official said. Bangladesh and India currently have 38 active border trade points. Of the points, 32 with India’s northeast (Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura) and six in West Bengal.

Source: https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/economy/bangladesh/bangladesh-moves-to-remove-indian-port-hurdles-ntbs

Dhaka Bank, GP launch co-branded credit cards

Dhaka Bank Limited yesterday launched co-branded credit cards with Grameenphone for GP Star customers at a programme at Sheraton Dhaka in Banani. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for ICT Division, virtually joined the programme to inaugurate the product, said a press release. Emranul Huq, managing director of Dhaka Bank, Yasir Azman, chief executive officer of Grameenphone, and Syed Mohammad Kamal, country manager of Mastercard Bangladesh, were present. “Through this launch, we are going to provide our customers with an even richer and more distinguished experience with our credit card offerings,” the Dhaka Bank managing director said. The Grameenphone CEO stressed the need for meeting customers’ diversified needs in line with digitalisation of Bangladesh. “This kind of partnership plays a significant role in improving customer experience standards and in bringing in newer facilities for them. GP Star is the largest and most loved loyalty platform in Bangladesh,” said Azman. Among others, Md Mostaque Ahmed and Akhlaqur Rahman, deputy managing directors of the bank, and HM Mostafizur Rahaman, executive vice-president, were also present.

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/banks/news/dhaka-bank-gp-launch-co-branded-credit-cards-3289921

Standard Bank director elected exec committee chairman

Standard Bank has recently elected a director as the chairman of its executive committee. The electee, Gulzar Ahmed, also owner of Apan Jewellers, was the vice-chairman of the bank, said a press release. Ahmed is the chairman of Unique Gold Private Ltd, senior vice-president and chairman of the banking and financial standing committee of Bangladesh Jeweller’s Association (Bajus). He is the first vice-president of the Bangladesh Jewellery Manufacturers and Exporters Association, member of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Baitul Mukarram Market Babosaye Group, and chief adviser of Gulshan DNCC Market Committee. 

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/banks/news/standard-bank-director-elected-exec-committee-chairman-3289946