15 cos bag corporate governance awards

A total of 15 listed companies were awarded on Thursday for their corporate governance excellence.
The companies received the ICSB National Award for "Corporate Governance Excellence 2013" at a function in the city.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith handed over certificates and crests to the award winning companies as chief guest at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).
The Institute of Chartered Secretaries of Bangladesh (ICSB) gave the awards for the first time in five categories to promote governance excellence in the country's corporate sector.
In the banking sector, Eastern Bank got the gold prize while Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited (DBBL) and United Commercial Bank bagged the silver and bronze awards respectively.
In the Non-Bank Financial Institution (NBFIs) category, Prime Finance and Investment Ltd garnered the gold prize while Prime Insurance Company Ltd and Union Capital Ltd won the silver and bronze awards respectively.
In the general manufacturing sector British American Tobacco Bangladesh obtained the gold award while Summit Power Ltd and Premier Cement Mills Ltd bagged the silver and bronze awards respectively.
The Ibn Sina Pharmaceutical Industry Ltd won the gold award in the Food & Allied and Pharmaceutical sector while Beximco Pharmaceutical Ltd and Glaxo Smith Kline Bangladesh Ltd bagged the silver and bronze awards.
In the IT Communication and Services sector, the gold award went to Singer Bangladesh Ltd while the silver and bronze awards went to Grameenphone (GP) and Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd respectively.
The award-giving ceremony was addressed, among others, by AB Mirza Azizul Islam, former caretaker government adviser and the award jury board chairman, Professor Dr M Khairul Hossain, chairman of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), Mohammad Asad Ullah FCS, president of ICSB, and M Nurul Alam FCS, chairman of the Corporate Governance Award Committee of ICSB. ATM Tahmiduzzaman ACS, Council Member of ICSB, gave the vote of thanks.
The jury board led by Dr Azizul Islam selected the awardees from among 150 companies that got listed with the stock exchanges and published annual reports for the year ended on December 31, 2013.
The ICSB was established under an Act passed in 2010. It is a recognised professional body intended to develop, promote and regulate the profession of chartered and company secretaries in the country.
Mr Muhith appreciated the ICSB for giving the awards saying that it would help enhance the knowledge base in the corporate sector.
Mr Azizul Islam said that lack of corporate governance and unacceptable level of greed were causing recession, unemployment etc.
He laid stress on pursuing corporate governance in the greater interest of the corporate sector.  
Mr Khairul Hossain said that the ICSB award would help take the level of corporate governance to a new height in the country.
    md.ali.du@gmal.com