Ranks Telecom Ltd (RanksTel), a PSTN (public switched telephone network) operator, yesterday launched its land phone services in Dhaka.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange has embarked on a mission to identify companies that are not holding annual general meetings and paying dividends without acceptable reasons, a move market experts believe will increase confidence of small investors.

The Asian Development Bank will provide $21.2 million for the development of information and communications technology in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal by enhancing the availability of affordable broadband internet connections, skilled manpower, local contents and internet applications to promote growth and reduce poverty.

A 20-member Thai business delegation yesterday visited Dhaka EPZ and expressed satisfaction over its peaceful production atmosphere.

The 35th Meeting of the ICCB Executive Board was held at ICC Bangladesh National Secretariat on December 18. ICCB President Mahbubur Rahman presided over the meeting. The Board reviewed the activities of ICCB and approved the Action Plan for 2008.2007.

ICC BANGLADESH WISHES ALL THE MEMBERS, PATRONS AND WELL-WISHERS A HAPPY EID-UL-AZHA.

The government has tightened procedures to issue GSP certificates to exporters in a bid to check misuse of the certificates that allow goods’ duty-free access to the European market.

Dabur Nepal, a subsidiary of Dabur India and one of the leading manufacturers of fruit juices in the world, is keen to enter the Bangladesh market, provided Dhaka reduces its whopping customs duty of 80 percent.

On the back of good responses from individual taxpayers, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) achieved a 22.53 percent revenue growth in the first five months of the current fiscal year. The NBR received Tk 7.3911 billion from 6,45,617 individual taxpayers in the tax year of 2007-08 against Tk 2.5211 billion a year ago, contributing to the overall revenue growth.

Around 80 percent demand for accessories used in exportable garment and knit items are now locally met as more than 100 accessory manufacturing industries have so far sprang up in the country, according to industry insiders.

An ‘extended family’ culture in Bangladesh still influences recruitment process in firms and organizations, as employers prefer hiring through known contacts, said an HR practices survey in Bangladesh. The survey report also said in talent hunt for running a corporate house or an NGO, newspapers continue to be the most commonly used source.

The country needs $2.2 billion for rehabilitation projects and budgetary support and the government expects a one percentage point drop in expected GDP growth while one percentage point jump in inflation in FY08 due to Cyclone Sidr.

Japan will provide $ 324 million in loan assistance for New Haripur Power Plant and two other projects in the country. An agreement to this effect was signed between the governments of Japan and Bangladesh in the capital yesterday.

A division bench of the High Court (HC) has vacated the stay order on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s move to reconstitute the board of directors of Z-category companies, the worst performing issues in the stock market, to help improve their financial health.

Lafarge, the world’s top cement-maker, said Monday it will buy Egypt’s Orascom Cement for 8.8 billion euros (12.9 billion dollars) in a deal that boosts the French company’s position in the booming Middle East construction sector.

K Mahmood Sattar, managing director and CEO of The City Bank Ltd, has been elected chairman of Association of Bankers, Bangladesh Ltd for 2007-09 term. Mahmood Sattar has 26 years of experience in banking sector both at home and abroad, says a press release.

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has invited fresh project proposals from innovative, experienced and new information technology (IT) entrepreneurs for ‘equity fund assistance’ to set up software industries.

Authority to approve foreign private loans may be delegated to Bangladesh Bank to expedite the processing time, finance ministry sources said.

Oman yesterday lifted its ban on Bangladeshi unskilled and skilled workers after 12 years and expressed interest in recruiting skilled labour from here. The Middle Eastern country also handed over a draft memorandum of understanding for manpower recruitment to Bangladesh yesterday when visiting Omanese Minister for Manpower Juma bin Ali bin Juma met Foreign Adviser Iftekhar A Chowdhury.

Two leading cell phone operators, Grameenphone and AKTEL, are yet to submit detailed proposals on their initial public offerings (IPOs) to the telecoms regulator, as the BTRC has extended the submission deadline to next week, sources said.