Volume 5 Number 245 Tue. February 01, 2005       Home  News Today's Index Front Page Business Sports Point-counterpoint National International Culture General Views Editorial Letters to Editor Write to Editor Sections Others About Us Contact Advertisement Supplements Archives Business Deposit, Credit Disbursement PCBs outstrip NCBs for the first time Despite shiring only 23 percent of total bzanch network, private commercial banks (PCBs) for the first time in Bangladesh banking history have overtaken nationalised commercial banks (NCBs) in terms of   Bangladesh suffers from wrong perceptions Says Ratan Tata Ratan Tata, chairman of India’s industrial heavyweight Tata Group, said Bangladesh is a country suffering more from wrong perceptions than actual facts.   75 to vie for 27-member BGMEA board Talks on to reach consensus before Feb 17 polls A total of 75 candidates will vie for the 27-member policymaking committee of the largest trade association Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) scheduled to be held onFebruary   IPO subscription deadline of Global Ins extended The initial public offering (IPO) subscription period of the Global Insurance Ltd has been extended up to February 6, company officials said.   BGIC to issue rights share Bangladesh General Insurance Company Ltd (BGIC) yesterday decided to issue rights share and increase the authorised capital of the company.   AKTEL, Wintel to start countrywide phone booth service AKTEL and Wintel Ltd will soon launch the first-ever GSM-based mobile phone booth service across the country to ensure telecoms services at convenient public locations for those who do not have access   SBC buying AT&T for $16b SBC Communications Inc said Monday it will buy AT&T Corp for about $16 billion, aiming to bolster its services for large corporations and end "Ma Bell's" independence.   China outlook still bright, but risks loom The outlook for the Chinese economy remains bright, but great risks lurk ahead, China experts warned Sunday. "The movement of the US dollar is a key question for the Chinese economy.   Opec signals era of costly oil A decision by Opec to suspend its low price target for crude oil and members' comments that high prices have not hit world economic growth are clear signs of a new era of expensive oil, analysts say.   Oil tumbles as Opec holds steady, Iraqi polls pass Oil prices tumbled below $47 Monday after Opec producers agreed to keep crude output unchanged for now and Iraq's elections passed without disruption to oil exports.   Small tourism operators bear brunt of tsunami: PATA Small tourism operators were among the hardest hit in the industry ravaged by the December 26 tsunamis and need urgent help, Asia's top travel trade association said Monday.   China changing law to help migrant workers get backpay China is amending its construction law in its first major concrete step to ensure that millions of migrant workers get the salaries they are owed, state media said Monday.   Malaysia to set up bank for SME development Malaysia will set up a development bank to assist small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in 2005, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Monday.     Advertisement