Dhaka, Sep 16 (UNB)- Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Best Electronics at Islami Bank Tower recently aiming to provide Equal Monthly Installment (EMI) facilities to its Khidmah (credit) cardholders. 

In presence of Md Mahbub ul Alam, Managing Director & CEO and Mohammed Monirul Moula, Additional Managing Director, Abu Reza Md Yeahia, Deputy Managing Director of the Bank and Md Asaduzzaman, Managing Director of Best Electronics signed the agreement on behalf of respective organizations. 

Under this agreement, IBBL Khidmah (credit) cardholders will enjoy Equal Monthly Installment (EMI) facilities for 3,6,9 or 12 months in case of purchasing electronics goods from any outlet of Best Electronics. 

Muhammad Qaisar Ali and Hasne Alam, Deputy Managing Directors, Md Abdul Jabbar and Md Mostafizur Rahman Siddiquee, Senior Executive Vice Presidents, Abu Naser Mohammed Nazmul Bari, Executive Vice President, M Zubayer Azam Helali, Senior Vice President of the Bank along with top executive and officials of both organisations were present on the occasion.
 

Dhaka, Sept 16 (UNB)- A day-long training workshop on prevention of money laundering and combating financing of terrorism was held at Al-Arafah Islami Bank (AIBL) Training & Research Institute recently. 

Deputy Managing Director of the Bank Kazi Towhidul Alam inaugurated the course as Chief Guest, according to a press release. 

Executive Vice President Abed Ahmed Khan and Principal of the Institute and Executive Vice President Md Abdur Rahim Duary were also present on the occasion.
 

Dhaka, Sept 16 (UNB) – Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Julia Niblett on Sunday said reliable energy supply is crucial to attract both domestic and foreign investment and enable higher economic growth needed for providing employment with higher income.

“Australian companies have significant expertise in mining and energy; and well-placed to further help Bangladesh develop its mining and energy sectors,” she said.

The High Commissioner welcomed the government of Bangladesh’s initiatives to address energy needs in Bangladesh. “This is an ambitious and impressive essential focus of policy to support Bangladesh’s economic growth.”

High Commissioner Niblett was addressing a discussion on ‘Bilateral Business and Trade Opportunities Between Australia and Bangladesh’ organized by the Australia Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ABCCI) in a city hotel.

Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi spoke as the chief guest while Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Kazi M Aminul Islam and President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin spoke as special guests with ABCCI President Obaidur Rahman in the chair. 

ABCCI Vice President M Khan made a presentation on Bangladesh-Australia trade and investment opportunities. 

High Commissioner Niblett said oil, gas and coal extraction, power generation, transport, trade and infrastructure and skill development – there are lots of areas for collaboration between the two countries.

“We’ll continue to work energetically and closely with all of you to take Bangladesh-Australia trade and investment relations forward,” said the High Commissioner.  

Niblett said Australia and Bangladesh have enjoyed a longstanding and mutually beneficial trade relationship that has grown significantly in the last five years. 

The bilateral trade grew to over AUD 2.3 billion in 2017, reflecting Bangladesh’s economic growth and the complementary strengths of two economies. 

“Despite the trade surplus in Australia’s favour, bilateral trade is relatively balanced, and as such benefits both our countries,” she said.

The High Commissioner laid emphasis on diversification of economic relations into other fields that can be crucial for Bangladesh’s further progress. “There’re lots of scopes for collaboration.”
 
Dr Rizvi invited the Australian investors to come and invest in Bangladesh taking the advantage of “stable political system” availability of workers and fast growing market inside Bangladesh and re-export to other countries. “So the investors who will come here you can come and there will not be any change.” 

He said Bangladesh has a stable society with political stability and growing maturity of democratic institutions. "We’ll continue to have the stable society… democratic continuity will continue. There is no doubt about it.”

Kazi Aminul of BIDA said Australia is a tested friend of Bangladesh and the two countries can achieve a lot together. 

He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina they are working to further improve investment and business climate in the country. “We can take the relations to historically higher level.”

FBCCI President Mohiuddin said the government has ensured the culture of peace in the country and hoped that Australian investors will invest more in Bangladesh.

“We don’t see any more destructive politics. We always love peace that exists. We hope more collaboration,” he added.

Business leaders from the FBCCI, other associations and members of other bilateral Chambers were also present.

Established in 2004, the ABCCI provides a range of services to its members based in both Australia and Bangladesh, and it has been a leading voice of businesses in both countries.   
 

Dhaka, Sep 16 (UNB) – Chartered Accountants residing in the city’s Uttara area have formed an adhoc committee of the Chartered Accountants Uttara Forum.

The following members were nominated unanimously at the meeting to constitute the adhoc body: Amanullah Khan, FCA – Advisor, Dr. Jamshed Sanyiath Ahmed Chowdhury, FCA – Advisor, Biplab Hossain, FCA – Convenor, Sultan Ahmed, FCA – Member, Shafequl Ameen, FCA – Member, Shaikh Mamunur Rashid, FCA – Member and Fuad Hasan, ACA – Member.

Some 50 Chartered Accountants of the Uttara area held the meeting at Shororeetu in Arong Building in Uttara on Friday evening to discuss matters of professional and other interests.  

The members present sought a pathway to help attain a higher professional standard and made a plea to bolster their numbers to meet the ever increasing demands for qualified accountants to run the country’s burgeoning trade, industries and service sectors.

The attendees stressed the need for constant exchange of ideas and interactions among them in order to translate the forum’s objectives into action. They also pledged to render voluntary services to the people living on the fringe at Uttara to build an inclusive and just society.

Some of the other major objectives to be pursued by the forum are: (a) to set up and enhance a broad based connection and networking among the members; (b) to foster a knowledge and skill based society; (c) to re-assert commitment to professional ethics; (d) to establish more accountability and transparency among the chartered accountants; (e) to assume leadership role in the society and (f) to forge a family level relationship.
 

Washington, Sep 16 (AP/UNB)  — President Donald Trump is going ahead with plans to impose new tariffs on about $200 billion of Chinese imports, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

Both sides were preparing to hold new talks on their tariff dispute. Last week Trump told reporters such a move could come "very soon."

The Journal cited unnamed people familiar with the matter who said the tariff level will likely be set at about 10 percent, below the 25 percent announced earlier this year.

The two governments have already imposed 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion of each other's goods. Beijing has issued a list of another $60 billion of American products for retaliation if Trump's next tariff hike goes ahead.

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters declined comment on the timing of a possible announcement, but said: "The President has been clear that he and his administration will continue to take action to address China's unfair trade practices. We encourage China to address the long standing concerns raised by the United States."

The Chinese foreign ministry said Thursday that it was invited to hold new talks. Envoys from the two countries last met Aug. 22 in Washington but reported no progress.

Beijing has rejected pressure from the United States to roll back plans for state-led development of Chinese global champions in robotics, artificial intelligence and other fields.

Washington, Europe and other trading partners say those plans violate China's market-opening commitments. American officials also worry they might erode U.S. industrial leadership.

Forecasters have warned that the worsening conflict between the world's two biggest traders could cut up to 0.5 percentage point off global economic growth through 2020 if all threatened tariff hikes go ahead.

China has tried without success to recruit Germany, France, South Korea and other governments as allies against Washington. Some of them have criticized Trump's tactics but many echo U.S. complaints about Chinese market barriers and industrial strategy.