DHAKA, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - The Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) has organized free medical camp and medicine distribution programme for poor and helpless people, seeking eternal peace for the departed soul of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The medical camp was held at Abdul Latif Khan High School at Mohra Kamal Bazar in the district today.  Chattogram City BNP convener and BNP candidate of Chattogram-8 constituency Alhaj Ershad Ullah delivered the welcome address. He also visited the camp, exchanged views with patients and doctors.  About 40 specialist doctors provided free treatment to more than 1,000 patients in the free medical camp. DAB Chattogram City General Secretary Dr Ifteharul Islam Liton, who also served as medical camp coordinator, presided over the programme while Latif Khan High School governing body president Shamsuddin Khan attended as the chief guest.  DAB Chattogram Medical Committee President Prof. Dr M Jashim Uddin, DAB District Committee President Prof. Dr Tamij Uddin Manik, and former Bangladesh Medical Association Chattogram Committee General Secretary Dr Khurshid Jamil Chowdhury spoke at the function as special guests. Chattogram City BNP former vice-president Morshed Quadery, former councilor Nazimuddin, and former councilor Md Azam also attended the event.  

RANGPUR, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - The divisional level 'Monetary Policy Discussion Meeting' of Bangladesh Bank (BB) was held at the conference room of Rangpur Branch of the bank on Thursday afternoon.   BB Deputy Governor Dr Md Habibur Rahman presided over the event arranged to collect suggestions of all stakeholders concerned to formulate the second  half-yearly (January-June 2026) monetary policy of the FY 2025-2026.   Divisional level high-ranking government officials, public and private sector bankers, economists, academics, chamber leaders, industrialists, businesspersons, entrepreneurs and local journalists participated in the event.   Executive Director of BB Rangpur Branch Md Ali Mahmud delivered a welcome address at the event.   Director (Incharge) of the Monetary Policy Department of BB Md Sadrul Hasan delivered his speech narrating the goals and objectives of the divisional level monetary policy discussion meeting.   Executive Director of the Monetary Policy Department of BB Mahmud Salahuddin Naser delivered a presentation on Monetary Policy and discussed the gradually improving inflation, bank liquidity, deposit situations and other aspects as a result of monetary policy.   Director of the Banking Regulation and Policy Department of BB Md Bayazid Sarker said that sustainable regional progress and people's welfare are not possible without equitable development in the July Uprising spirit.   Implementation of the Teesta Master Plan in Rangpur region at a cost of about one billion US dollars or one percent of the GDP can yield four billion US dollars to the economy every year.    "But, it is not understandable why implementation of the Teesta Master Plan is still uncertain. Monetary policy must be adopted that supports economic development," he said.   In the open discussion session, participants highlighted obstacles to industrialization in the agro-based economy of the Rangpur region and  provided specific suggestions for creating employment and ensuring fair prices for agricultural products and ease inflation.   The experts discussed the situation when the economy was facing significant macroeconomic challenges when the current interim government took power in  2024.   The challenges included persistently high inflation, rapid exchange rate depreciation, dwindling foreign exchange reserves, arrears in external  payments, tight liquidity conditions, lack of good governance, and high non-performing loans.   Bangladesh Bank has outlined a forward-looking strategy, emphasizing its commitment to controlling inflation, stabilizing exchange rate, rebuilding  foreign exchange reserves, and restoring confidence in the banking sector through improved good governance.   BB Chief Economist Dr Md Akhtar Hossain in his speech discussed monetary policy, the economic situation, and issues to be considered in formulating  monetary policy for the second half-yearly (January-June 2026)of the current FY.   BB Deputy Governor Dr Md Habibur Rahman said monetary policy involves controlling the supply of money in an economy to achieve goals like price stability and economic growth.    Bangladesh Bank formulates and implements monetary policy using open market operations, reserve ratio adjustment, interest rate determination, and other measures to control the value of the money issued and control inflation.   "The suggestions received from today's discussions in Rangpur will be properly utilized in the formulation of the central bank's monetary policy,"  he said and thanked the participants for their overall cooperation.