RFL Plastics, a popular household plastic brand, has been awarded as the best brand under plastic category in the 11th edition of Best Brand Award Bangladesh at a city hotel on Saturday.

Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF) and Nielsen Bangladesh and in association with The Daily Star organised the programme.

The popular plastic brand was on the second position from the chart of 100 most loved brands, said a press release of RFL on Tuesday.

The winners were picked based on a survey of 4,000 consumers across the country. A total of 100 brands were recognised in 34 categories and overall top 15 brands were awarded from all the categories.

Kamruzzaman Kamal, Marketing Director of PRAN-RFL Group said “It is indeed a great achievement for us. Our popular brand RFL Plastics has received the best brand award for the 9 consecutive year. We thank our customers for their love and trust.” 

Al-Arafa Islami Bank Ltd (AIBL) has launched ‘Islamic Wallet’, a new Shariah-based digital mobile financial service for its clients.

Inaugurating the new service, Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir has urged all other Sharia-based Islamic backs to follow suit but cautioned to remain alert against risks.

“The use of hi-tech innovation may result in untoward risk but mitigation measures must be there,” he told the function at Le Meridian Hotel in the city on Tuesday.

AIBL Chairman Abdus Samad Labu, managing director and CEO Farhan R Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.

The AIBL officials said their ‘Islamic Wallet’ will provide Sharia–based digital services through a mobile app allowing users to make fast, secure and hassle-free online and mobile payments.

It will also allow cash-in and cash-out, fund transfer from bank accounts and cards, access to a range of lifestyle services, they said.

The wallet facilities also include person-to-business (P2B), payments such as bill payments, food delivery, mobile top–up, insurance premiums and loan installments.

The new service will also facilitate business-to-person (B2P) payments such as payroll and commission disbursement and government to person (G2P) payments such as subsidies, freedom fighters allowances, social welfare payments and endowments and person-to-government (P2G) like payments of government duties, taxes and fees.

Fazle Kabir said Bangladesh is now a $302 billion economy which is the 39th largest in the world and in June next it will be a $349-billion one.

He said this shows the potential of the economic development which requires huge technological development.

The Governor said although the conventional banks are very fast to introduce digital services the Sharia-based Islamic banks are far behind in this regard.

He said today 77 million Bangladeshis are using mobile-based financial services offered by 16 banks and two financial service providers under a conducive environment, while $145 million financial transactions are taking pace every day.

A customer of Walton brand air conditioner (AC) was awarded with Tk one lakh as 12 years electricity bill on his purchase under the ongoing digital campaign season 5 of the local brand across the country.

Dr Modhusudhon Dhor, on behalf of Mintu Ranjon Dhor, a businessman in Jagannath upazilla in Sunamganj, received Tk one lakh from film actor Saymon Sadik at Abdus Samad Azad Auditorium in Jagganathpur recently.

Walton has been offering up to Tk one lakh as electricity bill of 12 years or sure cash back, free installation and some other benefits on the registration of purchased AC under the campaign.

Walton has been conducting the campaign aiming to accelerate the process of bringing its post sales services under the digitalized system through preparing online customer database.

Product’s details, including customer’s name and contact number, are stored on Walton’s server to provide them quick service from any Walton service center.

Dr Modusudhon Dhor said his elder brother (Mintu) purchased three air conditioners for his confectionery shop on November 23 from Popular Electronics.

He received a SMS in his registered mobile phone number from Walton with the notification that he got Tk 1 lakh as 12 years electricity bill free.

Film actor Saymon Sadik said, Walton is now manufacturing international standards air conditioner within the country and supplying in the domestic markets at reasonable prices.

After meeting the local demand, Walton’s air conditioners are being exported to different countries of the world, he added.

Rust-resistant Golden Fin Color Technology is being used in condensers of Walton ACs which ensures the longevity of the cooling product.

Besides, accurate BTU and six-month replacement guarantee led Walton ACs to secure the top choice of customers.

Meanwhile, Walton customers are enjoying AC exchange offer. Under this offer, customers can buy brand new Walton AC at 25 percent discount in exchange of used air conditioner of any brand.

A symposium titled “Bangladesh-Canada Relations: Prognosis for Partnership” will be held in the city on Saturday.

A distinguished panel of foreign affairs experts will attend the symposium to assess the relationship between Bangladesh and Canada in the present context and identify the challenges and opportunities for the future.

Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cosmos Group, will organise the symposium as part of its Ambassador’s Lecture Series that will begin at 10am at Six Seasons Hotel.

Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary) Md Shahidul Haque will be present at the event as the chief guest while Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Benoit Préfontaine will deliver a lecture on the topic.

Chairman of Cosmos Foundation Enayetullah Khan will deliver the welcome speech at the symposium to be chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, the Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, and former Foreign Affairs Adviser to Bangladesh’s previous caretaker government.

Canada’s commercial relationship with Bangladesh has grown significantly over the last 14 years and the value of bilateral merchandise trade has more than tripled from $600.5 million in 2004 to over $2.4 billion Canadian dollars in 2018, according to Canadian High Commission in Dhaka.

Canada’s response to Rohingya crisis recognises  that the current situation does not have an immediate solution and will require sustained engagement for years to come.
 

Popular beverage brand PRAN UP has introduced a campaign –‘Utshobe Ayojone’ for making wedding ceremonies more colorful.

The campaign started on Thursday and will continue till January 5 next year.   

Under the campaign, three lucky persons will have popular film actress Dilara Hanif Purnima and young actor Tamim Mridha in his or her wedding programme. The customers will be able to order PRAN UP special pack where the name of bride and groom will be written on the bottle.

The campaign has been announced in a programme at PRAN Center of capital’s Badda area on Thursday.

Atikur Rahman, Head of Marketing of PRAN UP, said “PRAN UP always want to engage with customer’s special programme. We arranged the campaign to make the wedding event more memorable.”
 
Tanmoy Das, Brand Manager of PRAN UP, said “Customers need to order minimum 300 PRAN UP bottles to get our special pack. The offer is applicable only for 250 ml PRAN UP PET bottles.

Customers need to mention the bride-groom names, program dates, time and place during product order which have to be completed through PRAN UP facebook page (www.facebook.com/pranupdrink) or toll free number 08007777777 or e-commerce site Othoba.com.”