07-01-2021

M.C Bazar Sub-branch of First Security Islami Bank Ltd. inaugurated at M.C Bazar, Sreepur, Gazipur
with a view to providing shariah based banking services in a greater extent to its clients recently.
Syed Waseque Md Ali, Managing Director of the Bank inaugurated the activities of new sub-branch
through Video Conference. Among others, Abdul Aziz and Md. Mustafa Khair, Additional
Managing Director(s), Md. Zahurul Haque and Md. Masudur Rahman Shah, Deputy Managing
Director(s) along with other high officials were present on the occasion. A Doa Mahfil was organized
in this regard.
Photo: Courtesy
Social Islami Bank Ltd (SIBL) inaugurated 168th Branch and 63rd Subbranch respectively in Salimgonj
Bazar, Nabinagar, Brahmanbaria and Mohanganj, Netrokona recently. Managing Director & CEO Quazi
Osman Ali inaugurated the branch and subbranch as chief guest from SIBL Head Office through virtual
platform. Abu Naser Chowdhury, Md. Sirajul Hoque and Md. Shamsul Hoque, Deputy Managing
Directors, Md. Abdul Mottaleb, Head of BC & GBD, Md. Moniruzzaman, Head of Marketing & Brand
Communication, Md. Shaheed Iqbal, Upazila Chairman of Mohanganj, Manager of Salimgonj and
Netrokona Branch and local dignitaries also attended the program.
Photo: Courtesy
Tokyo shares open lower ahead of state of emergency
TOKYO : Tokyo stocks opened lower
on Wednesday as the Japanese
government prepared to issue a fresh
state of emergency to fight the surging
coronavirus, with players also eyeing
elections in the US state of Georgia,
reports BSS.
The Nikkei 225 index fell 0.13 percent,
or 35.46 points, to 27,123.17 in early
trade, while the broader Topix index
edged down 0.03 percent, or 0.56 points
to 1,790.66.
Overnight gains on Wall Street were
encouraging, but the yen's strength
continued to weigh on the Tokyo market,
analysts said.
The Japanese currency stood at 102.61
yen in Tokyo, against 102.72 yen
overnight in New York.
"The market may try to use the
momentum from the US market and
attempt to regain ground that was lost
earlier, but the continued strength of the
yen is a cause for concern," Okasan
Online Securities said.
"With the US elections, and ahead of a
state of emergency (in part of Japan),
investors may become inclined to take a
wait-and-see attitude," the brokerage
said, expecting the market to spend the
day without a clear sense of direction.
Polls closed for the US Senate runoff
elections that will determine the balance
of power in Congress as trading began in
Tokyo.
Last-minute surges in polls by the
Republican candidates lifted Wall Street,
as their victories would mean higher
hurdles for policy moves by the next
Democratic administration, including
possible tax hikes and tougher industry
regulations, analysts said.
Digital Campaign Season- 9
Free TV in every hour on Marcel fridge,
washing machine purchase
Marcel, one of the leading
domestic electronics
manufacturers, launched
'Digital Campaign Season-9'
with the offer of some
customers' benefits on the
occasion of celebrating Happy
New Year 2021, says a press
release.
Under the Season 9, the
local brand offered customers
free television or sure cash
vouchers upon the purchase of
its any of the models of
refrigerator or washing
machine from any of the
branded outlets across the
country.
The customers' benefits
were come into effective from
January 2, 2020 and to be
continued until the further
announcement.
Recently, company's higher
official Engineer Golam
Murshed announced the
launching of Digital Campaign
Season 9 at a 'Declaration
Programme' at Marcel
Corporate Office in the capital.
Company's Directors SM
Ashraful Alam and Tahmina
Afrose Tanna attended the
programme virtually while
Deputy Managing Directors
SM Nazrul Islam Sarker, Eva
Rezwana Nilu, Amdadul
Haque Sarker and Humayun
Kabir, Executive Directors SM
Zahid Hasan, Uday Hakim,
Mohammad Rayhan, Anisur
Rahman Mollick, Ariful
Ambia, Amin Khan, Dr Md
Shakhawat Hossen, Firoj
Alam and Engineer Easir Al
Marcel's higher officials attend the 'Declaration Program' of Digital
Campaign Season 9 at the company's Corporate Office in the capital
recently.
Photo: Courtesy
Imran, among others, were
also present.
At the function, the officials
informed that they have been
conducting the digital
campaign across the country
to create customers database
for bringing the after sales
service operation under the
online automation. During the
campaign, some details such
as customer's name, contact
number and the product's
model number have been
stored on Marcel server. As a
result, the users of Marcel
products will easily get the
desired after sales service even
if they have lost the product's
warranty card. Customer
database will also help the
service
center's
representatives getting
customers' feedback about
their respective Marcel
products' service. To
encourage customers'
participation in the campaign,
the local brand has been
offering special customers'
benefits like cash back, cash
vouchers etc.
According to Marcel
authorities, every fridge of the
local brand is being marketed
after getting the quality testing
certificate from the
international standard
Nusdat-Universal Testing
Lab. Marcel brand
refrigerators have received
several standard certifications,
including BSTI's 'Five Star'
energy rating efficiency, ISO,
OHSAS, ROHS, etc.
World's latest technologies
like intelligent inverter, Nanohealth
care and anti-fungal
door gasket are being used in
Marcel refrigerators.
Marcel is giving one-year
replacement guaranty as well
as 12 years compressor's
guaranty.
In addition, customers are
getting Marcel brand's 4
models of energy efficient
washing machine at the prices
from Tk 6,900 to Tk 22,000.
Marcel is delivering swift
after sales services to the users
through its countrywide 76
service centers, operated
under the ISO certified Service
Management System.
Hedge funds
bet on recovery
in 2021
TORONTO :Some global
hedge fund investors are
going into 2021 optimistic
about a speedy snap-back
from the economic challenges
related to the coronavirus
pandemic, reports Asia
timesa.
Hedge funds, which use
leverage and employ more
aggressive, often riskier
strategies than other
investors, believe many
previously undesirable
sectors, ranging from energy
to retail, will rebound in 2021.
Accounting for roughly $3
trillion in assets, hedge funds
showed resilience in 2020,
with many outperforming the
market, according to
investors.
"We think 2021 is going to
be a really positive year for the
markets," said Jason
Donville, president and CEO
at Toronto-based hedge fund
Donville Kent Asset
Management. He forecasts an
explosion of pent-up demand
for travel and leisure
producing a period of "super
growth."
"I think it will take a little
while for the vaccines to roll
out and then somewhere
around March, April, May,
you're going to get a
confluence of the vaccines
getting to a certain critical
mass... and infection rates
dropping."
For 2020 as a whole, the
S&P 500 unofficially rose
16.26%, a stunning rally from
a bear market that kicked off
when the pandemic spread
rapidly earlier in the year.
"What I would say about
2021 is it looks like it's going
to be a year of recovery," said
Robert Sears, chief
investment officer at UKbased
Capital Generation
Partners, which invests in
hedge funds globally. "That's
the consensus view."
The gainers in 2020
included the S&P 500
Information Technology
Sector, up more than 42% as
the sector benefited from the
abrupt acceleration of online
trends. On the other hand, the
S&P 500 Hotels Restaurants
and Leisure eeked out a gain
of 1.4%.In the past quarter,
however, leisure stocks have
rebounded as vaccine rollouts
have accelerated hopes of
recovery. "I think macro
conditions are going to
continue to be quite volatile,
so macro should have a good
year," said Sears, referring to
funds that invest according to
macroeconomic trends.
UK launches
new o4.6 bn
plan to help
virus-hit firms
LONDON : The UK
government on Tuesday
launched an extra o4.6-billion
package for virus-battered
businesses as England began a
fresh lockdown set to last
weeks, reports BSS.
The financial support,
equivalent to $6.3 billion or 5.1
billion euros, "will help
businesses to get through the
months ahead - and crucially it
will help sustain jobs, so
workers can be ready to return
when they are able to reopen",
finance minister Rishi Sunak
said in a statement.
Sunak announced grants for
retail, hospitality and leisure
businesses worth up to o9,000
per property to help businesses
through to the Spring.
Other impacted businesses
would share o594 million.
The UK government has
already pumped out billions of
pounds in support since early
2020 when the nation went
into a first lockdown over the
coronavirus.
At the heart of this is a state
furlough scheme paying the
bulk of wages for private sector
workers.
The Bank of England is also
pumping out vast sums of cash
to prop up the economy.
"Throughout the pandemic
we've taken swift action to
protect lives and livelihoods
and today we're announcing a
further cash injection to
support businesses and jobs
until the Spring," Sunak said.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021 8
bKash handed over 300
more ventilators
bKash handed over 300
more ventilators along with
300,000 emergency health
toolkits like infrared
thermometers, masks,
protective clothing and
medical goggles donated by
China's Alibaba Foundation
and Jack Ma Foundation to
accelerate COVID treatment
during this winter, a press
release said.
Prior to this, bKash handed
over 650,000 medical supplies
including 50 ventilators from
Alibaba Foundation and Jack
Ma Foundation to PM's Relief
Fund in June, 2020 in virtual
presence of the Honorable
Prime Minister. This time,
Kamal Quadir, CEO of bKash
handed over the emergency
medical supplies to Abu Hena
Morshed Zaman, Director of
Central Medical Stores Depot
(CMSD) in presence of Dr.
Ahmad Kaikaus, Principal
Secretary to Prime Minister at
PM's office.
Md. Abdul Mannan,
Secretary of Health Services
Division and Major General
Sheikh Md. Monirul Islam
(Retd.), Chief External and
Corporate Affairs Officer of
bKash were also present at the
program.
This time, the donation of
36.7 ton medical equipment
includes 300 ventilators,
250,200 KN95 masks, 30,000
medical disposable protective
clothing, 200 infrared
thermometers and 85,000
medical goggles.
Besides these, bKash from its
own fund, has provided 30
ventilators to Dhaka Medical
College Hospital, Dhaka
Shishu Hospital, Dhaka CMH
and Central Police Hospital as
part of social responsibility to
increase medical capacity of
the top hospitals of Bangladesh
few days back. The company
also installed oxygen plant at
the Diabetic Hospital (BIHS
General Hospital) as a part of
this continuous donation
during the ongoing pandemic.
In the context of the urgent
need of ventilators for the
treatment of patients suffering
from severe respiratory
infections by Covid-19 in the
country, concerned people
have expressed hope that these
ventilators provided by Alibaba
and bKash will accelerate
Corona treatment and make it
more effective.
Launched in 2011, bKash, a
joint venture of BRAC Bank,
US based Money in Motion,
International Finance
Corporation of the World Bank
Group, Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation and Ant Group,
operates as a payment service
provider offering broad range
of digital financial services
under the regulation of
Bangladesh Bank.
Walton top officials at the declaration programme of up to 100 percent
instant cashback on its wide ranges of laptop, desktop, all-in-one PC and
other IT accessories.
Photo: Courtesy
Up to 100pc cash back on Walton
laptop, desktop and accessories
To mark the celebration of New Year 2021, the
Bangladeshi superbrand 'Walton' has offered up
to 100 percent instant cashback on its wide
ranges of laptop, desktop, all-in-one PC and
other IT accessories, a press release said.
The fresh offers were come into effective from
January 1 and will be continued till March 31,
2021 at all Walton Plaza and Dealer Points.
The announcement was made at a
'Declaration Programme' held at Walton
Corporate Office in the capital on January 6,
2021.
Walton Digi-Tech Industries Limited
Chairman SM Rezaul Alam attended the
declaration programme virtually as Chief guest
while Founder of Ten Minute School Ayman
Sadik and International Children Peace Award
winner Sadat Rahman as special guests .
The event was also attended, among others, by
Walton Hi-Tech Industries Limited Deputy
Managing Director Nazrul Islam Sarker, Eva
Rezwana Nilu, Amdadul Haque Sarker and
Humayun Kabir, Walton Digi-Tech Industries
Limited Deputy Managing Director Engineer
Md. Liakat Ali, Walton's Executive Director SM
Zahid Hasan, Uday Hakim, Firoj Alam and
Amin Khan.
Meanwhile, using credit cards, customers can
buy Walton's digital devices from 375 Walton
Plaza all over country at EMI (Equal Monthly
Installment) facility with zero interest rate.
Although the instant cashback is not available
on the purchase Walton digital devices from E-
NEW YORK : An array of prominent US
business executives on Monday called for
Congress to certify Joe Biden as the new US
president, writing in a joint letter that it is
time "to move forward."
The letter, signed by more than 170
executives in industries ranging from finance
and sports to technology and media,
condemned any attempt to thwart the
certification process as "counter to the
essential tenets of our democracy."
"This presidential election has been
decided and it is time for the country to move
plaza (https://eplaza.waltonbd.com), but
customers will enjoy lucrative discounts from
online purchase. In addition, students are
enjoying special facilities for purchasing Walton
laptops.
At the event, Walton Digi-Tech's Deputy
Managing Director and Computer Products'
CEO Engineer Liakat Ali said, "Considering the
customers need and demand, Walton has been
manufacturing and marketing advanced
technologies and featured digital devices at
reasonable prices. We are committed to give lots
of facilities to all classes of people, including
students, job holders, businessmen,
professionals and freelancers aimed at reaching
Walton made digital devices to every people to
contribute on building Digital Bangladesh. As a
continuation of that, 100 percent cashback is
given for customers."
According to Walton, the local multinational
brand has been manufacturing and marketing 21
models of laptops under the series of Prelude,
Passion, Tamarind and WaxJambu within the
price range of Tk 23,550 to Tk 1,68,500. Walton
also has 16 models of desktop under 7 series
between Tk 26,990 and Tk 129,550, 3 models of
All-in-One PC within Tk 46,950 and Tk 55,500,
Besides, Walton is manufacturing and supplying
various accessories at reasonable prices like
monitor, memory card, RAM, SSD Drive,
mouse, keyboard, pen drive, ear phone, wifi
router, USB cable, speaker, power supply unit,
UPS, digital writing pad etc.
Top US executives demand Congress certify Biden victory
forward," read a copy of the letter released by
business advocacy group Partnership for
New York City, reports BSS.
"Congress should certify the electoral vote
on Wednesday, January 6."
Certification is generally a formality - but
more than 100 Republican members of the
House and about a dozen Senate
Republicans have said they plan to raise
objections on Wednesday. At least one
House and one Senate member needs to
lodge an objection to certification to send it
to the floor for debate and a vote.