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TT-Clean: 77.1 | TK BC-Selling: 78.1
TK OD-Sight: 76.88 TK | TC-Selling: 78.1 TK

TT-Clean: 77.1 | TK BC-Selling: 78.1
TK OD-Sight: 76.88 TK | TC-Selling: 78.1 TK

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TT-Clean: 77.1 | TK BC-Selling: 78.1
TK OD-Sight: 76.88 TK | TC-Selling: 78.1 TK

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Rate last updated: 02/01/2014 11:15:04 AM

Important Business News Extracts October 25, 2018

Economists moot new poverty benchmark

Bangladesh should measure poverty by redefining the poverty-line income taking into account the changes occurred over time and improvement in living standards. The General Economic Division (GED) of the Planning Commission organised the event at its office to launch two books on poverty. The books were titled ‘Aiding Resilience among the Extreme Poor in Bangladesh’ and ‘Extreme Poverty, Growth and Inequality in Bangladesh’. Bangladesh’s poverty rate came down to 21.8 per cent and the extreme poverty rate to 11.3 per cent in 2018. The rates were 23.1 per cent and 12.1 per cent a year ago, the data showed. We need to think how to address the higher trend of income inequality as the Gini coefficient could go beyond 5.2 level within a short period. The Gini coefficient is a scale of measuring income inequality where 0 to 1.0 is considered as the lower to higher levels of inequality. The Gini coefficient in Bangladesh has now stood at 0.458, according to the BBS data. Extreme poor families cannot easily be reached through generic policy and operational packages. They require much more precise support, calibrated to their particular combination of circumstances.

Source: http://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/first-page/economists-moot-new-poverty-benchmark-1540400740

Govt signs deal to set up biggest fertiliser factory

The government on Wednesday signed an agreement with Chinese and Japanese companies to build the country’s biggest-ever urea fertiliser factory in Narsingdi. The annual production capacity of the factory will be 0.92 million tonnes. The project titled ‘Ghorasal Polash Urea Fertiliser Project (GPUFP)’ will be implemented at the place of the existing two very old fertiliser factories — Urea Fertiliser Factory Ltd (UFFL) and Polash Urea Fertiliser Factory Ltd (PUFFL). Once implemented, the factory will produce 2,800 tonnes of Granular Urea a day, which is about three times higher than that of the existing two fertiliser factories. This project will be implemented through ‘Bidder Financing’ process, spending Tk 104.6 billion. Of the amount, the government will provide Tk 18.44 billion while the rest Tk 86.16 billion will come as commercial loan. he Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved a proposal for setting up Ghorashal Palash Urea Fertiliser Factory which will be completed by 2022. Currently, Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory in Fenchuganj of Sylhet is the country’s biggest fertiliser factory with an annual production capacity of 0.58 million tonnes.

Source: http://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade-market/govt-signs-deal-to-set-up-biggest-fertiliser-factory-1540395689

ADB for updating mobile payment ecosystem

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) suggested upgrading the system infrastructure for enhanced mobile payment usage in Bangladesh. This will help the country move towards a cashless society. In Bangladesh, it said, mobile payment accounts for 18 per cent of the total payments. India makes such payments 41 per cent, China 69 per cent and Kenya 93 per cent. The usage of mobile payment in Bangladesh is still predominately person to person transfer. There are some 64.69 million registered clients in mobile financial services (MFS) as of August this year, according to the BB data. Of them, around 30 million accounts are active. In August, some 190 million transactions involving Tk 343 billion were made, with 6.30 million daily transactions on average. In the same month, some Tk 317 million came as remittance which was transferred using mobile financial services.

Source: http://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade-market/adb-for-updating-mobile-payment-ecosystem-1540395590

aamra for infrastructure development

aamra networks will utilise the unutilised IPO (initial public offering) fund for infrastructure development subject to approval from shareholders. It will take the shareholders’ approval on utilisation of unutilised IPO fund at the AGM (annual general meeting) to be held on December 24, 2018. As per the board’s decision, the untilised IPO fund worth above Tk 3.95 million will be utilised for BMRE for infrastructure development. aara networks also said above Tk 1.51 million has been saved in the head of BMRE for infrastructure development, data center set up and wi-fi hotspot setup due to lower purchase price and above Tk 2.44 million did not deposit to DESCO due to arrangement of different power source for data center setup.

Source: http://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/stock-corporate/aamra-for-infrastructure-development-1540396309

Millennium Info wins gold award at IFFSA

Millennium Information Solution Limited, a subsidiary of Al-Arafah Islami Bank Ltd has received ‘Technology Provider of the Year’ GOLD(1st Prize) award at the Islamic Finance Forum for South Asia (IFFSA) Conference & Awards Night 2018, held in Colombo recently.

Source: http://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/stock-corporate/millennium-info-wins-gold-award-at-iffsa-1540396390

Steps underway to boost cotton yield

The government targets to raise cotton yield, as the local spinners and yarn producers have to spend billions of dollars to import the white fibre to produce garment items. The Cotton Development Board (CDB) has already started providing funds to cotton farmers—Tk 15,000 per head from a fund of Tk 5 crore—to encourage more people to produce the fibre. We have a target to expand the cotton cultivation area to 55,000 hectares from 43,500 hectares now in the next five years. Currently, yield per hectare stands at 1.5 tonnes and it would go up to 3-3.5 tonnes if hybrid seeds are used. The CDB hopes to produce 2.5 lakh bales of cotton by 2021, which would meet nearly 5-7 percent of the annual demand for the fibre in Bangladesh, the largest cotton importer in the world. Currently, Bangladesh imports $3 billion worth of cotton a year. Last fiscal year, the country produced 1.65 lakh bales of cotton, which can meet less than 3 percent of the annual demand of 10 million bales. One bale equals to 282 kilograms. Last fiscal year, the country imported 7.1 million bales of cotton, meeting 97 percent of the demand of the country’s more than 440 spinning mills. President of the Bangladesh Cotton Association, is hopeful that one day the local cotton will meet at least 15 percent of the demand. Of the imports, nearly 50 percent comes from India, down from about 60 percent two or three years ago, as importers have found some alternative markets, particularly in Africa.

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/steps-underway-boost-cotton-yield-1651408

Microcredit empowers women

Around 90 percent clients of 732 microcredit organisations operating currently in Bangladesh are womeny. Still women have limited access to finance. Microcredit empowers women and develops entrepreneurship in women and a majority of them clear loan payments regularly. Citibank NA Bangladesh announced the 14th edition of the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards to honour the most innovative microentrepreneurs of the country. This year, the programme is being jointly organised by Shakti Foundation and Citibank NA Bangladesh with the Credit and Development Forum (CDF) as the strategic partner. The awards will be given in six categories: Best Microentrepreneur, Best Women Microentrepreneur, Best Youth Microentrepreneur, Best Microentrepreneur in Agriculture, Microfinance Institution and Innovative Microfinance Institution. Since the launch of the award in 2005 in Bangladesh, 68 microentrepreneurs and 21 microfinance institutions were awarded.

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/microcredit-empowers-women-1651369

Red spinach farming expands in Rangpur on impressive profit

The farmers at different areas in the district are showing their interest in farming red spinach (Lal Shak) due to good profit. In recent times farming of leafy vegetables has increased across the district and its adjacent areas because of huge demand. Its farming has become lucrative as well. A good number of farmers are growing different varieties of leafy vegetables including red spinach on both their homesteads and other lands and they are getting financially benefited by selling their produces in markets. One farmer has earned Tk 25,000 so far by growing red spinach on 35 decimals of land. Another one earned Tk 20,000 by cultivating Lal Shak on 25 decimals of land. Harvesting of leafy vegetables including red spinach can be started within 25 to 30 days after sowing seeds. Traders from across the country are purchasing the vegetables and transporting those to their respective areas. According to DAE sources due to early farming of different leafy vegetables including red spinach peasants can earn good profit from the sale of their produces. DAE also assists the cultivators by providing them with required advices as well as agri-inputs.

Source: http://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/last-page/petrobangla-plans-to-import-lng-from-oman-by-may-1540312862

Local and Global Stock Indices *

Index NameClose ValueValue ChangePercentage Change
DSEX5276.33044↑24.378↑0.46%
DJIA24,583.42↓608.01↓2.41%
FTSE1006,962.98↑7.77↑0.11%
Nikkei 22521,472.88↓618.30↓2.80%

World Commodities *

CommodityClose ValueValue ChangePercentage Change
Crude Oil (WTI)$ 66.33↓0.49↓0.73%
Crude Oil (Brent)$ 75.61↓0.56↓0.74%
Gold Spot$ 1,237.35↑3.56↑0.29%

Major Currencies Exchange Rates Movement in Last Seven Days *

Exchange Rates
USD 1BDT 85.2290
GBP 1BDT 109.8620
EUR 1BDT 97.2463
INR 1BDT 1.1622

*CURRENCIES AND COMMODITIES ARE TAKEN FROM BLOOMBERG.

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM

EMRANUL HUQ

MANAGING DIRECTOR & CEO OF DHAKA BANK LIMITED

Dear Valued Patrons,

At the very onset, let me express my heartiest gratitude for allowing us to serve you and I also wanted to reach out to you directly with an assurance that Dhaka Bank is fully equipped to support you during this difficult time.

Last couple of weeks ago we all were living in a peaceful condition, performing our daily tasks freely and perfectly. Entire economy and business environment was also in a good shape, until COVID-19 put a forceful stoppage to the overall life style and economy of the world. We all know that social distancing and cleanliness are the keys to prevent this pandemic. Hence, we urge your conscious effort to limiting public interaction and suspending wherever possible.

YOUR SAFETY MEANS EVERYTHING TO US
In this current situation, Dhaka Bank and its employees are beside you where we are fully online, either working from home or at our offices under a robust Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to serve you with limited branch banking and a full-fledged alternate delivery channel services.

WE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR BANKING NEEDS
Our state of the art Mobile App, Dhaka Bank GO (Click https://bit.ly/2WVfieu) and Internet Banking - Dhaka Bank Direct gives you the freedom of banking online anytime from anywhere. You can check the balance and transfer money to any designated Banks including any Dhaka Bank or bKash Account, make utility bill payments and mobile top-up through our Mobile App and Internet Banking Services. Our ATMs are also running efficiently with availability of sufficient cash for your convenience where you can make cash withdrawals whenever the need arises. Mentionable, the withdrawal of cash from any ATMs within Bangladesh with Dhaka Bank Debit Cards are absolutely free of charges up till April 30, 2020 (Dhaka Bank will bear the cost). Our corporate customers can also use our completely safe and secured online platform Dhaka Bank C-Solution for Payments, Inter Bank Fund Transfers, etc.

Moreover, to fulfill your urgent requirement, we have a limited no. of branches up and running by ensuring all kinds of precautionary and safety measures for you.

GET IN TOUCH IF YOU ARE IN EXTREME EMERGENCY
In case of extreme emergency and facing difficulties in conducting banking transactions, please let us know through our 24/7 Contact Center number 16474 (or, dial +8809678016474 for ISD/Overseas Calls). We are always with you to combat your difficulties.

WE WILL FREQUENTLY UPDATE YOU
As you know we are going through a critical phase and the situation is novel to all of us. We are getting lot of new information from various sources everyday about COVID-19 which will be shared at www.dhakabankltd.com.

Thank you for your trust and continued support to us. I firmly believe that jointly we will be able to combat this situation and win against all the odds.

Please stay home, stay safe and take care of yourself and family.

Best regards,

Emranul Huq
Managing Director & CEO
Dhaka Bank Limited

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