Prime Bank launches unsecured loan facility in ICT sector
Prime Bank will provide unsecured loans up to Tk 50 lakh in the ICT sector. In the current financial market of Bangladesh, loans will be given to this sector considering the ICT MSME sector. Two months grace period will be given on the loan payable.The service was inaugurated on Tuesday, the silver jubilee of the establishment in the belief of providing exceptional service. State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak inaugurated the service, referring to it as a "friend in difficult times".Raheel Ahmed, Managing Director, Prime Bank, Syed Almas Kabir, President, BASIS, Syed M Omar Tayyab, Head, MSME Banking, Prime Bank, and Nazmul Karim Chowdhury, Head, Brand & Communications, Shoaib Ahmed Masud Prom, Vice President (Administration) were present on the occasion.State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak said, "We are making maximum use of technology." I am using technology in testing, tracing."We have huge potential in the software sector in the next six months," he said. For this, we have to work with innovative ideas.Calling on Prime Bank to follow other banks, the state minister said the BASIS and ICT divisions are jointly working on five issues - ideas, models, finance, technology and collaboration. This initiative of Prime Bank has shown the friendship of hard times for the ice sector.A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Prime Bank Limited and Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) to provide all banking services including financing to ICT entrepreneurs. The agreement provides ICT companies with working capital (CC, OD, and demand loans), term loans for fixed asset purchase and capital expenditure, financing of international trade solutions (LC, LATR, IDBP), bank guarantees, work orders, etc. Get Internet Banking - Altitude - service for deposit facility and e-transaction. The loan will require two years of business experience and a letter of recommendation from BASIS. Prime Bank has appointed a Relationship Manager so that BASIS members can avail of all banking services including loan applications at home or at home.
The Virtual High Court bench has directed to launch 'ICU Hotline'
A virtual high court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim has directed to set up a separate hotline called 'ICU Hotline' so that the victims can easily communicate in the ICU management and monitoring cell.The virtual court, which operates online on My Court on Monday, has set up ICU requisitions and 'central bed bureaus' of private hospitals, introduced separate medical facilities for COVID and general patients in 50-bed public-private hospitals and announced a two-week lockdown in the capital Dhaka. After hearing three writ petitions, the court passed the order with some instructions and opinions.At the same time, the court also suggested that the ICU hotline numbers be disseminated in different media, especially on television, on a daily basis.Lawyer Manzil Morshed, lawyer Yadia Zaman, lawyer Jamiul Haque Faisal, and Mehedi Hasan appeared for the writ petitions.Additional Attorney General Murad Reza, Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder and Assistant Attorney General Abanti Nurul was present at the hearing on behalf of the state.During the coronation period, the court gave 10-point instructions on fixing the price of oxygen cylinders, monitoring private hospitals and treating patients in hospitals.The 10-point directive states that those concerned, including the health secretary, have to submit to the court on June 30 whether the directives issued by the health ministry is being followed properly. The High Court also said that reluctance to treat critically ill patients in public and private hospitals and the death of a patient in it should be considered as 'negligent death' i.e. a criminal offense. Instructions have also been given to bring those responsible for this under the law.
ICT-IBA forming a virtual university
The ACMP 4.0 Summer Training Program has been launched to improve the skills of managers to meet the challenges of the future. Under the new normal conditions, 228 mid-management professionals are undergoing training in this three-month program in 4 batches with various modules of business expansion by reducing staff turnover.The 14th-17th batch training program under the ICT department's LICT project will have online classes 3-4 days a week. 60 classes will be held in 12 sessions. There will be tests every day. And to get the certificate, you must be present in at least 70 percent of the class and pass the exam.State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak inaugurated the training program through virtual on Tuesday morning.Meanwhile, the state minister said a virtual university of multimedia and innovation would be launched soon to expand commercial activities by building skilled human resources in the changed circumstances. IBA's certificate course will be introduced there.Speaking as the chief guest, he said that Kovid-19 is changing the commercial activities by accelerating the fourth industrial revolution. So no matter what profession or position I live in, everyone needs to know about cutting edge technology. We are able to adapt very quickly to new types of global change. Ability to use AI, robotics, big data, etc. technology in every field at the individual, institutional and state level in technology services.Palak said, "Our business, trade, education, office are not lagging behind in the last 100 days by being intellectually connected even from a social distance."He added that in the pendulum situation, the internet usage of internet users has increased by 50 percent. Commercial usage has increased by 50 percent and more than 50 lakh mobile bank accounts have been opened. LICT Project Advisor Sami Ahmed and IBA Director Syed Farhat Anwar presided over the function. LICT Project Director Rezaul Karim, Bangladesh Computer Council Executive Director Perth Pratim Dev, BACO President Wahid Sharif, BASIS President Syed Almas Kabir spoke on the occasion.
ICT State Minister mourns the death of Mohammad Nasim
Apart from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the President, former Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Nasim, current Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar, Science and Communication Technology Minister Yafen Osman and State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak have also expressed their condolences.In a separate condolence message sent to the media on Saturday, State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members of the deceased."In his death, the nation lost a patriotic politician, the Bangladesh parliament lost an experienced parliamentarian, and we lost a leading fighter in all progressive political movements," he said.Mohammad Nasim (72) breathed his last on Saturday (June 13) at around 11 am while undergoing treatment at Shyamoli Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in the capital (Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilahi Raziun).Incidentally, Mohammad Nasim, son of M Mansur Ali, one of the four national leaders killed in jail on November 3, 1975, is representing the people of Sirajganj in Parliament for the fifth time. After the formation of the Awami League government in 1996, Mohammad Nasim took charge of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. In March next year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also gave him the charge of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.Nasim served as a minister in two ministries simultaneously until March 10, 1999. He was later given the post of Home Minister in a cabinet reshuffle. Although the Awami League returned to power after winning the 2008 elections, Nasim did not get a place in the service cabinet. However, Sheikh Hasina made him the health minister in the next term in 2014.
The ideal ‘zoning’ method is being created in a scientific way
Even three months after the lockdown, the number of coronary heart attacks and deaths continues to rise. State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak said the zoning system has been introduced to keep the lives of the citizens safe by keeping both the life and livelihood running and the wheel of the economy moving in such a situation.He said a ‘zoning system’ has been introduced in the country after the lockdown by analyzing data collected from various sources comprising of meritorious students and teachers in the country and abroad. Data Analytics Task Force has been formed. Considering the population density of the city, area-based lockdown is being carried out considering the number of patients identified for 14 days. Although 60 people per lakh are affected, it is being declared as a high-risk red zone. And if it is below 59, it is considered a yellow zone. Geo-fencing and zoning are being updated daily from geo-mapping.However, data scientists, statisticians and health experts are also working to find an ideal scientific method for Bangladesh considering the population density and the number of infected people within certain boundaries, Palak said. In this case, the issues of the market, hospital, bus stand, etc. of any area are also being taken into consideration.Palak said that the government is being given advance information about the areas affected by the phone calls coming to the hotlines and analyzing the identifiers. However, by downloading the Corona Tracer BD app on the phone and turning on Bluetooth, the People can also get this information.An area-wise draft has been prepared through hair-splitting analysis since June 8 and the draft will be finalized this week, the state minister said.Junaid Ahmed Palak said that 60 percent of people wore masks in April after Corona, but the number dropped to 30 percent in May. So we need to raise awareness more. If everyone uses the Corona Tracer BD app and keeps its Bluetooth open, mobile phone users can be alert in advance. He said another task force comprising representatives of the Department of Health, IDECR, Data Analytics Team of ICT Department, A2I, City Corporation, Police, and Public administration is working to save lives and livelihoods in the situation.
Costs are rising in e-commerce, mobile and internet
This time the cost of online food, online shopping, car registration, foreign TV, and mobile and internet will increase. Shopping on e-commerce using the internet and ordering food online will increase the cost of the e-commerce business.This expenditure will increase at the consumer level as additional taxes are imposed on these products and services in the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2020-21. However, VAT exemption on automobiles, refrigerators, and ACs and an increase in existing concessions on imports of refrigerators and ACs may reduce their value.This information came from the budget analysis proposed by Finance Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal on Thursday. This is the second time he has proposed a budget under the slogan 'Economic Transition and Future Path'.Several government ministers, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, were present in the parliament room during the presentation of the budget. However, physically ill opposition leader Raushan Ershad did not attend the session. However, Jatiya Party Chairman and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Golam Mohammad Quader joined as scheduled.
Training on the “Big Data” of the Idea Project
A day-long online training on "BigData" was organized by the Bangladesh Computer Council of the Information and Communication Technology Department under the "Innovation and Entrepreneur Development Academy Establishment Project (iDEA)".State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak, MP, inaugurated the event on Thursday (June 11) morning through video conferencing as part of the iDEA project "Education for Nation". Senior Secretary of ICT Department NM Ziaul Alam PAA and Executive Director of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) Parthapratim Dev were the special guests on the occasion. The online event was presided over by Syed Mojibul Haque, Director (Additional Secretary) of iDEA Project.As the chief guest, Junaid Ahmed Palak, MP, State Minister for ICT, said Bangladesh is the 8th most populous and largest country in the world where about 170 million people are constantly generating data. Data is being considered as the most valuable resource in the world at the moment. The more information a country or nation has and is able to process and analyze it properly, the more wealthy that country or nation is said to be. There are now more than 100 million mobile phone and internet users in the country and more than 160 million SIM cards are being used where there are millions of computer users including around 40 million smartphone users. Especially in this Corona situation, through the use of online technology, the government is trying to provide education to about 4 crore students and provide primary health care to 160 million people from March 2020 till now, i.e. in the last 3 months.He further said that through data analysis, it is possible to initially estimate the number of affected areas in Corona situation or the number of symptoms is high, and the number may increase later in the area. That is, there is a strong ability to analyze data. The Hon'ble Minister of State said that now the prevailing posts like CEO, CFO, or CTO as well as Chief Data Officer will be required in all public and private offices. This is because public-private offices are now emphasizing data analysis for decision making. Our main goal now is to enable the country's researchers, inventors, and entrepreneurs to use the country's data to provide new services. He also highlighted the need to use Frontier technology.As a special guest, NM Ziaul Alam PAA, Senior Secretary, ICT Department said that data-based policies are more sustainable and effective. So whenever we talk about creating evidence-based policy, we need to increase data resources. The more we improve in data management, the better our policies will be. We have started practicing it which we have to continue. However, if we can increase the work in this regard in Bangladesh, we will be able to be richer in data resources. Parthapratim Dev, Executive Director of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), who was the special guest on the occasion, said that one of the resources in the present age is information or data. This information or data is very important all over the world now. All in all, it has a significant role to play in the world economy.ID Project Director (Additional Secretary) Syed Mojibul Haque in his welcome address said that the era ahead is the era of Frontier Technology. So the iDEA project is organizing such events to encourage young people about Frontier Technology. He said that various programs will continue in the future as well.This training focuses on Making sense of Bigdata, Bigdata & Smart Analytics, and how we can harness opportunities in Bigdata. Data Science student at the University of Queensland in Australia and Deputy Commissioner (Tax) of the National Board of Revenue joined the training as a resource person. Dr. Abdul Bari Tushar, Lecturer in Big Data Analytics at Griffith University School of ICT. Saiful Islam and Habibullah N Karim, Founder , and CEO of Technohaven Company Limited. More than 60 trainees from Chittagong Division took part in the training through the online platform Zoom and will be awarded certificates later. Besides, the whole event was broadcast live on the official Facebook page of "Start-up Bangladesh" so that many interested people get a special idea about "Big Data". iDEA Project Deputy Project Director (Deputy Secretary) Kazi Hosne Ara, Project Senior Consultant RHM Alaol Kabir, Project Consultant Dewan Adnan, Sohag Chandra Das including Chittagong University, Comilla University, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Noakhali Science and Technology University, Rangamati University of Science and Technology, Premier University, Independent University Chittagong, including students of various educational institutions of Chittagong Division, teachers, BCC and other officials of ICT Department were present online.
E-Cab's 60 member organizations are providing daily necessities in the lockdown area
Following the same health safety rules, the member organizations of the E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh are delivering essential daily necessities to the people in the lockdown area under the overall supervision of ATUI.The program started from Rajabazar in Ward 27 of the capital Dhaka on Wednesday. After checking the security personnel in the lockdown area from 11 pm, several online companies appeared there with their products.This activity is being conducted in collaboration with Ekshop and Dhaka South City Corporation. Member organizations have started offering this service by collecting certificates and security stickers from e-Cab.Commenting on the initiative, Abdul Waheed Tamal, General Secretary, E-Cab, said that the members of the E-Commerce Association are delivering daily essential goods through e-commerce in the lockdown areas in compliance with hygiene rules. Under the overall supervision of A2I and with the permission of the Ministry of Commerce, we have provided permission letters, stickers and operation guidelines to the members from e-Cab. I would like to thank the ICT Department, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Department of Local Government, and the law enforcement agencies for their support to the e-commerce sector.Chaldal, Ekshop, Sabzibazar and Setara Farm have been seen delivering products since Wednesday morning. More than 5 vans and 6 covered vans of these companies have supplied goods to Rajabazar all day long. E-Cab's 60 member companies have initially been allowed to provide services in the lockdown area.With the help of the police, city corporation staff and volunteers in charge of security, they maintain distance and properly sanitize transports to reach home-ordered day markets online. Zia Ashraf, CEO of service provider Chaldal.com, said, "We are starting a pilot project in Rajabazar with 3 vehicles." There are more teams ready for other areas. In addition to the orders we receive online from our website, app or call center, we will also have some daily necessities in our car; With which we will be able to serve the people of that area immediately.
Anik from Bangladesh got a call from Google
Anik Sarkar from Bangladesh has received an offer letter from the company to join tech giant Google. Google has offered Anik to work as a software engineer at Google's Europe headquarters in Dublin, Ireland.Anik Sarkar said in his Facebook ID that he has recently received such an offer letter from Google. Anik said he will join Google Cloud Storage as a software reliability engineer.Earlier, Anik Sarkar passed secondary and higher secondary from Chittagong Collegiate School and Chittagong College respectively.“Biology was much more feared after entering the Bangla medium. But I used to work very well in mathematics. Ever since then the dream of becoming an engineer.” This time Anik's dream has come true.Anik Sarkar, who took the first place in the admission test of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) for the academic year 2014-15, has been called as a software engineer at Google's European head office in Dublin. He is joining Google's cloud storage team.Ever since he entered Madhyamik from Chittagong Collegiate School, his dream has been to enter the colorful courtyard of BUET. Running towards that goal. After being admitted to Chittagong College, he used to read various reference books from the college library regularly. The goal is to immerse yourself as much as possible. After the high school examination, it did not stop until the admission test. That Anik took the first place in the BUET admission test of the 2014-15 academic year. After graduation, he is currently enrolled in post-graduation at BUET. Besides, he is working as a research assistant in BUET. He has dreamed of becoming an engineer since he was a child, and his latest achievement is being employed by Google, the dream workplace of software engineers.
Introducing 'Mother' Telehealth for pregnant women: Palak
After 22 lakh Saudi expatriates, this time Prabasbandhu Call Center has been launched for 2 lakh Bahraini expatriates. Twelve Bangladeshi volunteer doctors from the country have already joined the initiative. The service will soon be launched in Malaysia, Oman, Singapore, Yemen and Europe. State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak has appealed to the expatriate embassies for this.Foreign Minister inaugurated the service in a video conference on Wednesday. AK Abdul Momen.ICT Secretary NM Ziaul Alam, Foreign Secretary Masood Bin Momen, Secretary to the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ahmed Munirush Salehin, Director of A2I Project Dr. Anir. Md. Abdul Mannan was present.The government of Bahrain will give legitimacy to Bangladeshis living illegally.- Foreign Minister. AK Abdul Momen State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a friend in difficult times. Under his leadership, food, education and internet have already been delivered from house to house.He said the driving force of the economy is launching a new digital platform next Saturday to launch healthcare services at home for more than one crore expatriate brothers and sisters as well as implement 'mother' telehealth for one million pregnant women, delivering medicinal fruits at fair prices to consumers. The 'Food for Nation' platform is being developed by connecting digital warehouses, farmers, trucklagbes, etc. in addition to one shop, Ekshop.The project director said. Md. Abdul Mannan said, 30 thousand food aid services have been provided by calling 333 in one day yesterday.A2I advisor Anir Chowdhury said the service could be launched for all expatriates by June by creating a timeline for providing and receiving services safely. Although the number of doctors registered in the pool has increased, the number of activists has not increased at that rate. Therefore, he stressed the need to introduce incentives in this volunteer model in the future.
UBER Eats Shut down its business
Uber's online order delivery service Uber Eats is winding down operations in Bangladesh.After a couple of weeks, their activities in the country will be stopped from June 2.Uber authorities said in a blog post on Tuesday.Uber It's Bangladesh's lead Misha Ali has confirmed to TechShahr.com that their service will be discontinued. However, he did not want to comment on the matter.Uber said in their blog post that the company has made a tough decision a year after launching its easy and reliable food delivery service. There, Uber announced that its service in Bangladesh will be closed on June 2.But Uber authorities did not say why the decision was made.At the same time through the blogpost the company thanks to their partners, users, customers, and the Uber Eats community in Bangladesh.Earlier in January this year, Uber also sold its food supplier in India to the country's Zomato and shut down Uber Eats in the country.Four months later, Uber made the same announcement in Bangladesh. However, the company's ride-sharing service will continue.Earlier, Uber Eats started its official activities in the country on April 30 last year. And he hired Misha Ali as the lead to run the business in Bangladesh.
GP deposited another Rs 1,000 crore
Grameenphone has deposited another Rs 1,000 crore in the second phase as part of the process of resolving the issue of BTRC's debt claim in the audit objection.The operator paid the money to BTRC at 1.30 pm on Tuesday. Senior Grameenphone officials went to the BTRC office and paid the money in a pay order.The GP deposited a total of Rs 2,000 crore.BTRC chairman at a virtual press conference after depositing money. Zahurul Haque said, ‘It is a public demand. It had to be taken. This will benefit the government. This money can be used for co-operation. 'Now Proper has an understanding. This time the relationship with Grameenphone will increase. No objection is being made to any of their dues. I hope Grameen will get what it has,” said BTRC chairman.Grameenphone CEO Yasir Ajman says, ‘Pay-orders worth Rs 1,000 crore have been handed over. After depositing the first instalment, I have received all kinds of support from BTRC. Our equipment is very important, they have started coming. 'Now, after the coronation, the issue of audit objections can be resolved through discussion, 'said the GP CEO.Senior officials including BTRC senior assistant director Zakir Hossain Khan also spoke at the virtual press conference.Earlier, in the first phase, on February 23 this year, the GP had paid Rs 1,000 crore as directed by the court. Then on February 24, the court directed to pay another Rs 1,000 crore within three months.Now the GP gave this money.Grameenphone's deposit of this money in the audit objection is part of the process of resolving the issue of BTRC's debt claim. When the amount of BTRC's debt claim is 'settled', then this amount of Rs 2,000 crore will be adjusted.After the payment of Rs 2,000 crore in two phases, an opportunity was created to renegotiate the issue of audit objections.In the audit objection, BTRC demanded a total of Tk 12,579.95 crore from Grameenphone.Of this, BTRC's share is Tk 8,494 crore and NBR's share is Tk 4,08 crore. Out of the Rs 7,494 crore claimed by BTRC, the principal amount is Rs 2,299 crore. The remaining Tk 6,194 crore is the delay fee, which has been calculated at a compounded rate over the principal amount
