Bangladesh High Court issues rule over gang-rape of Garo woman

The High Court on Monday issued a rule asking the authorities to explain by two weeks as to why the delay of lodging a complaint of the Garo rape victim would not be declared illegal.

A division bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Kazi Md. Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the rule upon a writ petition.

Five human rights organizations Nari Paksha, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, Jatiya Adivasi Parishad, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Ain O Shalish Kendra filed the petition.

The court also wanted an explanation from the authorities concerned on what reason action will not be taken against the policemen for making delay in taking the complaint and for negligence of duties.

It also wanted to know as to why the rape victim will not be compensated.

The HC also asked the government to confirm lodging complaints and giving services to the rape victims.

The court also sought a compliance report from Home Secretary, Inspector General of Police and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner within a month. It also asked the Home Secretary to issue a gazette notification by one week asking all the police stations to lodge complaints of any rape victim irrespective of caste, creed and religion.

It also sought a list of retired judges, lawyers and women human rights activists to review the existing laws and procedures to stop sexual harassment and sexual violence from the rights bodies that filed the petition by May 31.

Earlier on May 21, a Garo woman was gang-raped on a moving microbus after she was forcibly taken into the vehicle from near Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka city and later dropped her at Jashimuddin road.

(Source: BSS)

Dhaka court adjourns hearing on Khaleda’s graft cases till June 18

A court in Dhaka on Monday adjourned till June 18 the hearing of Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases against BNP Chairperson, Begum Khaleda Zia and others.

Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar the Special Judges’ Court-3 temporarily set up at Dhaka Alia Madrasa premises passed the order.

Khaleda Zia appeared before the court around 10-55 in the morning amid stringent security measures and left with the completion of the court proceedings around 12noon.

The court also rejected the defence petition seeking cancellation of the statements given by the plaintiff and the first prosecution witness after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence.

However, the court accepted the time petition filed by defence counsel Advocate Khandoker Mahbub Hossain on the plea of taking preparation for hearing.

Stringent security measures were taken in and around the court with the deployment of additional law enforcers including Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Detective Branch (DB)of police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to maintain law and order.

Earlier on April 5, the court gave Khaleda Zia bail in the two graft cases on condition of her appearance positively before the court on every date.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3 in 2008 with Ramna Police Station while the Zia Charitable Trust graft case was lodged with Tejgaon Police Station on August 8, 2011, on charges of misappropriating money in the name of the trusts.

The commission filed a charge sheet in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on August 5 in 2009 against Khaleda Zia, her elder son Tarique Rahman and four others on charges of embezzling Tk 2.1 crore by forming the Trust which exists only on paper.

In accordance with the charge sheet of the Zia Charitable Trust graft case submitted on January 16, 2012, Khaleda Zia and three others have allegedly misappropriated Tk 6.19 crore after forming Zia Charitable Trust.

The Special Judges Court-3 framed charges against Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and others in the two graft cases on March 19 last.

(Source: BSS)

Dhaka Stock Exchange suffers major technical glitch to open week

Trading at Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) was halted by nearly four hours on Sunday as a major technical glitch made the market operator unable to begin trading at its usual 10:30 am opening time.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) Executive Director Mohammad Saifur Rahman told BSS that the commission was aware about the technical problem and was expecting a full report from the DSE authorities about the matter in due course.

“Due to a technical issue DSE delayed commencement of trade by 3 hours 50 minutes on 24^th May 2015. This delayed start resulted in a shorter trading period of 1 hour 40 minutes compared to 4 hours of normal trading,” DSE said in a press statement later on the day.

The stock exchange also regretted the disruption of trading that caused inconvenience to all market participants.

DSE said that the technical issue caused delay in disseminating trade related information to some brokers beyond acceptable limits, and thus the brokers were put at a disadvantaged position compared to its peer group.

“In order to prevent this situation arising, DSE took the decision to delay trading till all market participants had equal opportunities to trade”, the statement said.

It further said that DSE and its international technology partners worked in three jurisdictions to resolve this issue and to open trading facility as soon as possible.

The combined effort of all those involved has resulted in market opening at 2:20 pm for all brokers, albeit for a truncated trading session of 1 hour and 40 minutes till 4pm.

The shorter than usual trading session recorded transaction volume of 8.58 crore shares worth Taka 343.17 crore, which was more than 50 percent lower than the volume and value of a normal trading session.

The decline in daily transaction caused fall in the two selective indices, but the broader DSEX index managed to finish the day marginally up at 4484.62, with DS30 and DSES closing down at 1682.44 and 1081.40 respectively.

Prices of 108 stocks advanced on the day against 164 declining stocks, while 28 remained unchanged. Power Grid, SA Port, Rupali Bank, ICB Sonali 1stMF and Saif Power were the day’s major gainers.

The major gaining sectors were bank, fuel and power, engineering and miscellaneous when the major losing sectors were textile, telecom, mutual fund and ceramic. Among the major lagging securities were Family Tex, Beximco, Zaheen Spin, 7^th ICB and Republic Insurance.

UPGDCL topped the turnover list followed by KPCL, Saif Power, SA Port, BSCCL, UPGDCL and Ifad Autos.

Normal trading DSE will resume tomorrow (Monday) on schedule time at 10:30 am.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) began the week at its normal scheduled and closed the session positive. The general CSCX index finished the day up at 8458.35 though most of issues traded closed lower. Prices of 128 securities declined on the day against 80 advancing and 27 static issues.

Some 2.35 crore shares worth Taka 81.32 crore changed hands on the day. (Source: BSS)

Pubali Bank Ltd signs corporate agreement with Robi Axiata Ltd

Pubali Bank Limited signed Corporate agreement with Robi Axiata Ltd. at Pubali Bank Head Office recently. Sk.Golam Mohammad, General Manager of Establishment Division of Pubali Bank Ltd. and Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Chief Operating Officer of Robi Axiata Ltd. signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.

Managing Director of Pubali Bank Limited Md. Abdul Halim Chowdhury was present as Chief Guest at the agreement signing ceremony. Deputy Managing Director of the Bank Safiul Alam Khan Chowdhury, General Managers of Head Office of Pubali Bank Ltd. and senior officials of both the organizations were also present.

Pubali Bank Limited and all the officers and employees of the bank will enjoy fastest sevices. Under this agreement they will get modern facilities along with Special Call Rate, Call Conferencing, Voice Communication, FnF, High speed 3.5G Internet, Data Connectivity at a cheaper rate. (Source: press release)

Prime Bank Limited arranges lenders' visit programme in Cox’s Bazar

Prime Bank Limited, Lead Arranger & Agent of the Syndicated Finance of Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa Ltd. arranged a lenders' visit programme to the project site at Inani Beach, Cox’s Bazar on 17 May 2015.

During the visit Md. Touhidul Alam Khan, Deputy Managing Director and Chief Business Officer of Prime Bank Limited and Brig. Gen. (Retd.) A H M Mokbul Hossain, Chief Executive Officer of Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa Ltd. as well as senior officials of syndicated lenders were also present. The participating lenders are: Prime Bank Limited, Standard Bank Limited, Pubali Bank Limited, Trust Bank Limited, Mutual Trust Bank Limited, ONE Bank Limited, Modhumoti Bank Limited, National Credit & Commerce Bank Limited and Bangladesh Commerce Bank Limited. (Source: press release)

Mercantile Bank Limited opens 101st Branch at Donia

Mr. Morshed Alam, M.P., Honorable Chairman of Mercantile Bank Limited inaugurates 101st  Branch “Donia Branch” as Chief Guest of the opening ceremony at “Holding#661, Donia Road, Jatrabari, Ward-03, South City Corporation, Dhaka on 25th May 2015. Mr. Alhaj Habibur Rahman Molla, M.P was present as a Special Guest Mr. Syed Abu Hossain Babla, MP was present as honorable guest on the occasion.

Mr. Al-Haj Akram Hussain (Humayun) –Chairman- Executive Committee, Directors- Mr. M. Amanullah, Mr. A.K.M. Shaheed Reza and Al-Haj Mosharref Hossain, Bank’s Managing Director & CEO Mr. M Ehsanul Haque, Additional Managing Director Mr. Monindra Kumar Nath were present. (Source: press release)

Meghna Bank arranges workshop on Credit Risk Management

Credit Risk Management Department of Meghna Bank Limited arranged a workshop on Credit Risk Management for discussion between Branch officials and CRM officials from all over Bangladesh on May 23, 2015 at Head Office, Dhaka.

Meghna Bank Limited Managing Director & CEO Mr. Mohammed Nurul Amin inaugurated the training as Chief Guest.

Mr. Md. Mohashin Miah, Additional Managing Director and Mr. Nazrul Hossain, Deputy Managing Director, were also present in the program. The training program was conducted by Mr. Rabiul Hoque Bhuiyan, VP, CRM and Mr. Mir Md. Abbas Ali, FAVP, CRM, senior officials of our CRMD and Mr. Mohammad Imdadul Islam, SEVP & Head of Retail, SME & Other Finance Division. (Source: press release)

Jamuna Bank Limited Managing Director Shafiqul Alam gets Gold Trade Award

Jamuna Bank Limited Managing Director Shafiqul Alam received the “Gold Trade Award-2014” from Maumer Mesak, Relationship Manager, Financial Institutions, Commerzbank AG at a program recently for excellent partnership in Trade Finance in the year 2014.

A. K. M. Saifuddin Ahamed, Deputy Managing Director, Mohammad Shamsur Rahman, Head of International Division of Jamuna Bank Limited, Tawfiq Ali, Senior Representative and Mohammad Niaz Mahboob Representative of Commerzbank AG were also present at the ceremony. (Source: press release)

Eastern Bank Limited Cardholders offered to buy Motorbike on Interest Free Instalments

M. Nazeem A. Choudhury, Head of Consumer Banking of Eastern Bank Limited (EBL) and Shawn Hakim, Chief Operating Officer of Rancon Motorbikes Ltd signed a customer benefit agreement in Dhaka recently. 

The agreement allows EBL cardholders to buy motorbike from Rancon in 12 monthly interest free instalments. Senior officials from both the organisation were present on the occasion. (Source: press release)