Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has suspended 21,725 accounts belonging to different Mobile Financial Services (MFS) for their alleged involvement in online gambling and hundi. Deputy Chief Officer AFM Shahinul Islam of BFIU briefed reporters about the decision on Wednesday. Most of these accounts are from Bkash, Nagad, and Rocket and MFS operators have also been warned not to engage in such transactions future, he said. MFS transaction decreased by Tk34 thousand crore in July: BB BFIU collected information from 371 online gaming and betting transactions, 91 transactions related to online forex trading and 413 transactions related to cryptocurrency in nine months of this year. These data are being analyzed and sent to the law enforcement agencies. Besides, BFIU has sent a list of 814 websites, 159 apps, and 442 social media pages and links related to illegal hundi, gaming and  betting  to law enforcement agencies for action and investigation. The BFIU has sent details of 21 money changers and their 39 bank accounts to the Criminal Investigation Department of the police. MFS transactions record breached again in April; number of accounts now 26.5 crore BFIU presented these facts in a meeting with anti-money laundering compliance officers of commercial banks held at Bangladesh Bank headquarters in Motijheel on Tuesday. The head of BFIU Masud Biswas presided over the meeting, Deputy Chief Officer AFM Shahinul Islam, the Director of BFIU, chief of anti-money laundering enforcement officers of all commercial banks were present. Head of BFIU,Masud Biswas said that criminals and money launderers should be aware that they cannot use the banking system to commit any crime. Daily transaction of MFS crosses Tk3200 crore: BB  

Nagad, a mobile financial service provider in Bangladesh, has brought in an offer for its customers to take their cricket experiences to the next level in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Customers will be able to grab World Cup match tickets by making an add-money of Tk 3,450 to their Nagad wallets from Mastercard or by settling their credit card bill of the same amount using this MFS platform, said a media release. The highest transacting customer will get an opportunity to participate in the “Flag Bearer Program” every week during this campaign. If the customer’s kid is between 12 and 18 years old, he or she will have the honor of holding the team’s flag during the national anthem. Besides, the winner will enjoy the game in ultimate comfort from the “Mastercard Sofa”. Read: Nagad wins Visa Excellence award-2023 The highest Mastercard credit card bill payer during the campaign period will have a chance to take a picture with the coveted World Cup trophy right on the ground. On the other hand, the person making the highest add-money transactions during the campaign will take a selfie with the Player of the Match. Md Shihab Uddin Chowdhury, chief marketing officer of Nagad Ltd., said, “Nagad and Mastercard have come up with an exciting offer for customers ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup-2023. Avid cricket fans will have opportunities to watch live matches of their favourite teams at the stadium through this campaign.” Read: PM Hasina visits Nagad’s technology partner Paytm's stall at G-20 Summit in India Beginning this campaign on September 22, it will continue till October 16. To participate in this campaign, a customer must have an active and full profile ‘Nagad’ account. Besides, they will have to comply with all the terms and conditions of the campaign. To learn more customers are requested to visit Nagad’s Facebook page or its website. Read more: Nagad partners with TerraPay for faster remittance inflows

Bangladesh Bank has introduced a US dollar booking policy for maximum 1 year, at a higher rate, to meet future requirements. According to the new rules, after one year, the bank will be able to charge a maximum of 5 percent more than the current dollar price with a 'SMART' rate. The central bank issued a circular in this regard on Sunday. Despite Bangladesh Bank Governor’s decision to not raise exchange rate before election, dollar rate hiked again Under the new rules, dollars can be kept with bookings for up to one year. For this, the buyer has to pay extra. It will be determined by the method with which loan interest rate is determined now. Currently, the dollar price for import is fixed at Tk 110.5. If anyone wants to book a dollar for future, he/she will have to pay Tk 123 per dollar after one year.  Selling dollars at higher prices: What is Bangladesh Bank’s action against treasury heads of 10 banks?

Unilever Bangladesh Limited (UBL), the country’s leading Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company, has appointed Syeda Durdana Kabir as their new Human Resources (HR) Director. With this appointment, Durdana has joined the Management Committee of Unilever Bangladesh and South Asia HR Leadership Team, said a press release. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Syeda Durdana Kabir possesses extensive expertise in various HR business partnering and leadership roles. Her extensive background equips her with profound knowledge in collaborating with global, regional, and local stakeholders within complex matrix structures. Prior to joining UBL, Durdana served in diverse capacities at Nestle, including being the first female HR Director in 2015. She has also worked as Regional Head of Talent and Organizational Development for Nestle Malaysia & Singapore Region, and later for Central and West Africa Region. She commenced her illustrious career at British Airways. Syeda Durdana Kabir completed her MA in English Literature from the University of Dhaka and obtained EMBA from North South University. Zaved Akhtar, chairman and MD of Unilever Bangladesh Limited, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "I warmly welcome Syeda Durdana Kabir as our HR Director and as a valuable addition to the Management Committee of UBL. Our company is committed to fostering a culture where everyone can thrive, where all individuals are treated fairly and respectfully, and where their unique qualities are celebrated. People are at the core of our business, and Unilever Bangladesh has been recognized for decades as the School of Leaders, and we have been the top employer of choice. I believe that Durdana's extensive experience in both global and local markets will significantly contribute to Unilever's commitment to pioneering the future of the workplace and propelling the company to new heights.

Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity, an association of shopowners, has demanded withdrawal of 1 percent supervision charged in CMSME loans. The association made the announcement today in a press conference held at its office in Mogbazar, Dhaka. Leaders of the association, in a written note, at the press conference said that Bangladesh Bank raised interest from 9 percent to 10.10 percent and the interest rate will be hiked further, as indicated by high-ups. Read: Emirates, SriLankan Airlines ink interline agreement to boost connectivity “Shopowners are running their businesses with marginal profits, at times counting losses, due to raised VAT, tax and utility charges, and fall in sale volume. The central bank’s 1 percent supervision charge, in addition to the interest rate, is illogical and should be withdrawn immediately,” said Helal Uddin, president of Dokan Malik Samity. He said if the supervision charge is not withdrawn and the money taken already is not returned by October 15, shopowners will move against it across the country. Read: Walton brings new models of single door all-rounder fridge Helal Uddin said, “We have sent a letter on behalf of Bangladesh Shopowners’ Association to the Governor of Bangladesh Bank on August 27, requesting him to withdraw the circular and take necessary measures to return the deducted money to the accounts of all traders.” The association is not aware of any action taken in this regard so far. Such a decision during a prolonged downturn in sales is a serious threat to entrepreneurs in the CMSME sector, he said. Read: IBCF Task Committee’s 40th meeting held Leaders of shopowners’ association and 23 other bodies from different sectors were present at the press conference.

Banglalink has signed an agreement with Palli Sanchay Bank aiming to provide the employees of the state-owned bank with a range of advanced digital services including corporate connections, data connectivity, 4G internet, SMS broadcast and other high quality digital solutions. The agreement was signed by Banglalink’s Enterprise Business Director Rubaiyat A. Tanzeen Palli Sanchay Bank (PSB) MD Sheikh Md. Jaminur Rahman at Banglalink's office in Dhaka, according to an official press release. The signing ceremony was also attended by Banglalink CEO Erik Aas. Also read: Banglalink wins Ookla Award for the 7th consecutive time “We look forward to providing Palli Sanchay Bank employees across Bangladesh with Banglalink's fastest 4G network and diverse range of digital services,” Banglalink CEO Erik Aas said. “As a Digital Operator, we are committed to delivering superior network quality and innovative digital solutions to our customers and partner organizations across the nation.” PSB’s Managing Director Sheikh Md. Jaminur Rahman said: Through this strategic partnership, Palli Sanchay Bank reaffirms its dedication to tech-driven innovation in business. We have come a long way since our inception, embracing innovation to accelerate our business and we are thrilled to welcome Banglalink as our official communication partner.” “We firmly believe that this collaboration will drive our growth, bolstered by best-in-class digital transformation,” he added. Also read: Banglalink app offers free healthcare for dengue treatment  Also present at the signing ceremony were Deputy Managing Director Khan Iqbal Hasan, General Manager Deepankar Roy, General Manager Md. Ala Uddin, Senior Systems Analyst Md. Shahed Alamgir, and System Analyst  Allama Mohammad Yahya Tanhar from Palli Sanchay Bank along with Banglalink’s Commercial Transformation & B2B Marketing Director Muhammad Abdul Hai, Head of Strategic Business SM Shamsur Rahman, Head of Enterprise Operations Mohammad Ahasun Habib, and Corporate Account Manager Tanvir Ahmed. Also read: Banglalink, a2i team up to 'accelerate' Smart Bangladesh Vision

Emirates and SriLankan Airlines have signed a reciprocal interline agreement to boost connectivity for passengers of both airlines. The partnership will enable access to new points on each other’s networks via Colombo and Dubai, utilising a single ticket and enjoying the convenience of baggage transfers. Read: Walton brings new models of single door all-rounder fridge The interline partnership unlocks 15 regional destinations operated by SriLankan Airlines via Colombo, for Emirates’ passengers to choose from. The interline network includes   two new Indian destinations- Madurai and Tiruchirapally, in addition to  Gan Island in the Maldives. Far East and South Asian destinations also include Cochin, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Malé, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta, Guangzhou, Seoul and Tokyo, according to a press release. SriLankan Airlines’ passengers are also set to benefit from access to Emirates’ global network and connect to 15 cities across the Middle East, Africa, Russia and the US operated by Emirates beyond Dubai. SriLankan’s customers will enjoy a premium travel experience and partnership benefits while flying on Emirates to Bahrain, Amman, Dammam, Medina, Cairo, Muscat, Nairobi, Moscow, Tel Aviv, and a host of US cities including New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Franciso, Chicago, Boston and Houston. Read: Speakers at a seminar focus on human dignity for sustainable development Travel itineraries can be booked immediately on emirates.com, srilankan.com and preferred online and offline travel agencies.  Emirates now serves Dhaka with 21 weekly flights and via Dubai offers convenient connections to nearly 140 destination across six continents.  

Country's super electronics brand 'Walton' has brought new models of single door all-rounder refrigerator in the domestic market, which are suitable for use in small families, bachelors, pharmacies, hospitals, hotels, resorts, restaurants and shops. The local multinational electronics giant is producing lucrative designed and models of single door refrigerator with different capacities, ranging from 50 to 225 liters, at state-of-the art fridge manufacturing plant at Walton headquarters in Gazipur’s Chandra, said a press release. The single-door model refrigerator's has more usable space than other models. This fridge has 90 percent normal refrigeration section and 10 percent freezer section. In addition, these models of refrigerators are 30 percent more energy saving than a regular fridge of the same size. Read: Walton Plaza fulfills Jonayed's dream of flying in the sky Tofail Ahmed, chief business officer of Walton Refrigerator, said Walton developed single door model of refrigerator for the multipurpose users. A small family of 1 to 4 people can use the single door fridge at an affordable cost. In addition, this model of refrigerator has great demand in pharmacies for storing medicines. He noted that the market share of single door refrigerators in South Asian countries is about 75 percent. Walton has already exported a large amount of single door refrigerators to the Asian countries. Walton's highest exported refrigerator model is single door. He expected that Walton single door refrigerator will become a hot cake for the domestic buyers. Read: Walton starts export trades with India in Rupee Walton Refrigerator Research and Innovation Center's Head Azmal Ferdous said, the single door refrigerators are specially designed. 'Silver Clean++' technology is being used in this model. This technology automatically prevents harmful bacteria into the refrigerated food. And, world-wide recognized fully environment-friendly R600a refrigerant and optimized cooling circuit are used in this model of refrigerator, which are resulted in saving huge energy. The body of the fridge has an onion tray on the stand. Onions and potatoes can be easily stored in it. Walton's single door refrigerator also acquired the most accepted UL certificate of the United States. The UL testing and certification ensure that an electrical product satisfies the safety requirement to enter the US and Canadian markets. At present, Walton is manufacturing and marketing more than 10 models of single door refrigerators with 4 plus different designs in the domestic market. Prices of these fridges are set between Tk14,990 and Tk30,000. Customers are getting one year replacement facility with a 12-year guarantee on compressor.

Speakers at a seminar emphasized human dignity and social justice, irrespective of religion and color, are essential for the sustainable development of a country. The speaker said this in a seminar on ‘Human Dignity and Sustainable Development: Road to Islam’ organized by the Department of Islamic Studies, Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology, Dhaka. Dr. Md. Iqbal Hossain, Professor Department of Da’wah and Islamic Studies, Islamic University, Kushtia presented a paper on the topic. Dr. Md. Shah-E-Alam, vice-chancellor of the university, was present as the chief guest. Professor Mostafizul Haque, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology, was present as the special guest and Prof. Dr. M. Abdul Halim Shaikh, Dean of the Faculty of Management, were present as the special guests. Mohammad Ishaque, associate professor and head of the department of Islamic Studies, presided over the seminar. A number of faculties and students of the university participated in the seminar.  

Dubai-based Emirates airline has been announced as Airline of the Year while US-Bangla Airlines as the best domestic airline in the ShareTrip-Monitor Airline of the Year 2023 awards. Qatar Airways and IndiGo came out as Cargo Airline of the Year and Best Budget Airline, respectively. Md. Mahbub Ali, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism handed over the trophies among the winning airlines in different categories of services at a ceremony held at the InterContinental Dhaka on Wednesday (September 20, 2023). Vistara was adjudged as the Best Regional Airline. Winners were selected based on the frequent flyers’ opinion poll, conducted in July and August of the current year. Over 3,300 frequent flyers cast their votes online.  Besides, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) received a Jury’s special citation award for their active support and generous contribution towards development of the aviation sector in Bangladesh. Air Vice Marshal M. Mafidur Rahman, Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh; Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam, Chairman, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission and also the Chairman of the Jury; Kazi Wahidul Alam, Editor, The Bangladesh Monitor; Sadia Haque, Co-founder and CEO, ShareTrip;  Ziaul Karim, Head of Communications and External Affairs, Eastern Bank PLC; Ashwani Nayar, General Manager, InterContinental Dhaka; Mohammad Saiful Hoque, CEO, Sabre Bangladesh also spoke on the occasion. Airlines operating in Bangladesh were awarded in 16 different categories of services. Airlines received Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards considering the number of votes they received. Emirates clinched the highest number of five gold awards in different categories including Best Business Class, Best Inflight Entertainment, Best Loyalty Program, Best Long-haul Airline, and Airline of the Year. National carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines won Gold Awards in two different categories including Best Economy Class and Best Inflight Meal in Economy Class. Qatar Airways besides winning Cargo Airline of the Year also won Gold Award in Best Inflight Meal in Business Class category. Vistara won Gold Award in Best Regional Airline category and IndiGo won Gold in Best Budget Airline category. US-Bangla Airlines besides winning Gold Award in Domestic Airline of the Year category also won Gold Awards in Most Customer Friendly Airline (domestic) category. NovoAir won Gold in Best On-time Performance (domestic) category while Air Astra won the Gold Award in Best Inflight Service (domestic) category. City Bank Amex Lounge was adjudged as the best airport lounge in Bangladesh, SkyLounge of Eastern Bank PLC received the Silver and Balakla Lounge by InterContinental Dhaka received Bronze Award. The 11-member jury committee comprising distinguished personalities from various sectors scrutinized the opinion poll and selected the winners.