Govt looks to more women in bourses, Muhith tells JS

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FE Report
The government has taken steps to see an increased involvement of women investors in the stock market, finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said in parliament (JS) Monday.
In reply to a question from Sadhana Haldar, the minister said initiatives have been taken to educate women investors and arrange government-sponsored training for them every month.
"The government has set up special booths for women investors in some brokerage houses and they enjoy separate trade stations in separate rooms, where women officers attend them," the minister said.
In reply to another question, he said the government has no plan to privatise any state-owned banks in the near future and it will not issue licence to any new bank.

The seven state-owned banks have a total of 61,923-strong workforce. Sonali, Janata and Agrani banks are profitable, while Rupali Bank, Bangladesh Krishi Bank, Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank and Bangladesh Development Bank are losing, the finance minister said.
The minister also said the government has no plan to reduce the interest rate of savings certificates.
Large taxpayers submitted their tax return through online from July 1 last year and the service will be expanded to other tax zones gradually, he said.
The country has received $27.22 billion foreign loan since its independence and repaid $3.77 billion in the period, he added.
The government has appointed three firms as insurance surveyors since last fiscal year, Mr Muhith said.
The companies are Trust Inspections Services, L&R Inspections and MM Inspections.
The minister informed the House that Bangladesh Bank has instructed the banks to stop terror financing and they should report to the financial intelligence unit of the central bank about any suspicious transaction.
"The government collected or confiscated Tk 12.32 billion from different businessmen and organisations after 1/11," he said.