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The government of Bangladesh has signed a Tk 340 crore ($44 million) loan contract with Islamic Development Bank to install the second submarine cable for the country. The installation may complete by 2016, while Bangladesh entered a consortium in March this year. Monwar Hossain, managing director of Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd (BSCCL), said BSCCL has already paid $19.2 million to the consortium from its own fund. Bangladesh will have to spend a total of $72.5 million for the new cable. The IDB will provide $44 million, while BSCCL will spend $70 million from its own fund. The rate of interest for the loans will be LIBOR+1.35 percent and the loans will have to be repaid in 13 years.

The attempts to offer conventional financial products in Afghanistan are perceived as yet another foreign attempt to challenge basic tenets of the Afghan society. This perception - shared not only in the countryside but also by sectors of urban society - is fuelling resentment and distrust among people. As a consequence, the already meager financing in the rural areas, where 75% of the population lives, is drying up and almost non-existent. This is undermining any meaningful economic and social take-off. Within this landscape, Islamic finance and takaful represent a necessary tool to address the population's discomfort with the conventional approach, ease cultural tensions and creatively mend social relations.

Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim today said there was nothing dubious about the out-of-court settlement with regard to the loan of more than RM60 million he took from Bank Islam. He said he had taken court action against the irresponsible people who had slandered him. Khalid made the statement when speaking at the monthly gathering of Selangor government departments. The Port Klang state representative reminded those who were not satisfied with him to lodge reports with Bank Negara for an audit to be carried out and not to act as they pleased. He said he had decided to remain silent as he had to protect the bank’s secrecy practice.

Abu Dhabi-listed Islamic insurer National Takaful Co (Watania) said on Tuesday that United Arab Emirates regulators had approved the sale of 60.53 percent of the firm to MB UAE Investments and an affiliate of MB. Watania said MB UAE Investments would acquire 51 percent and Al Madina Insurance Co would take 9.53 percent. The group would buy a total of 90.8 million shares. The deadline for the purchase is next Feb. 24, Watania said in the statement. It did not give details such as the purchase price or who would sell the shares. In a separate filing on the Oman bourse, however, Al Madina said it would buy 14.3 million Watania shares for 17.88 million dirhams ($4.87 million), implying it would pay 1.25 dirhams per share.

Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has officially submitted a request to Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) to up its stake in Jakarta-listed Bank Panin Syariah (PNBS). It has expressed its intention to increase its ownership in Panin Syariah to 40 percent. DIB currently owns a 24.9 percent stake in Panin Syariah, a subsidiary of private lender Panin Bank (PNBN). The United Arab Emirates lender acquired Panin Syariah’s shares, reportedly worth Rp 251.79 billion (US$21.7 million), in two stages in May this year. The rest of Panin Syariah’s shares are controlled by Panin Bank with 52.5 percent, Hesti Femi Nugraheni with 5.4 percent and the public with 17.2 percent. The OJK expects to complete the talks and issue approval for DIB later this year.

The International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBAR), the biggest bank in Azerbaijan managing more than 35% of total banking assets in the country, has announced the signing of a Shari'a Supervisory agreement with Shariyah Review Bureau (SRB). IBAR hopes that SRB and its experience will help the bank to build the Shari'a Complaint business and lift its Islamic financial sector to a successful future. Shariyah Review Bureau is today recognized globally for its iconic Shari'a Compliance services. With more than 37 Shari'a scholars, the company's growth includes recently doubling Shari'a review and Certification capacity in the GCC. As the pace of change in the Islamic financial industry accelerates at an international level, institutionalized services of Shari'a Advisory firms like SRB has become increasingly evident.

The domestic Islamic finance asset is expected to continue posting double-digit growth at between 10 per cent to 15 per cent over the next five years, said the Association of Islamic Banking Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM). Products like takaful, will, consumer and corporate products are all maturing and with such maturity level, Islamic finance also grows, said its President Datuk Mohd Redza Shah Abdul Wahid after a briefing on the upcoming Global Islamic Finance Forum (GIFF 2014) here today. GIFF 2014 will be held from September 2 to 4, in Malaysia, discussing key issues in the development of Islamic finance industry. The association today revealed the domestic Islamic finance market share now stands at 24.2 per cent, estimated to be worth RM548 billion.

Europe is the preferred target of Arab investors with 80% of the expected $180bn Arab investment flowing in to UK and Europe over the next 10 years. In the UK, London is the preferred destination. Arabs have invested heavily in European commercial real estate in recent years and have made huge profits from these investments. Some of the cash-rich Arab countries are unwilling to invest in the region because of the protracted social and political tensions in the region and see European market as safe havens to park their money. According to the latest report by global property advisor CBRE, Middle Eastern investors are expected to spend $180bn in commercial real estate markets outside of their own region over the next decade.

The DIFC Laws Amendment Law 2014, which amends the Regulatory Law 2004 and various other laws related to the Dubai International Financial Centre, is expected to give a new boost the financial services business from DIFC. The Amendments that will come to effect on August 21 makes a number of significant changes to the Dubai Financial Services Authority’s (DFSA’s) regulatory regime and investment laws. They are an important step in simplifying and improving the structure and procedures for decision making and review of DFSA decisions. They will also strengthen DFSA supervisory and enforcement powers, and improve the supervisory oversight of auditors.

The Nigerian Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) market has shown potential for growth, though many investors are yet to recognise its promise. In the less than four years since the market recorded its first entrants into the ETF space, there are three Exchange Traded products valued at N3.209 billion or 0.0178 percent of the total market capitalisation of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) as at August 6, 2014. Comparison of statutory charges (sell side) on equities against ETFs shows a difference of 0.5964 percent in favour of ETFs; while on the buy side, the charges are the same. On the sell side, charges to equities are 0.7050 percent, while ETFs are 0.1086 percent; on the buy side, the charges are same at 0.3750 percent.

Malaysia Airports Holdings’ plan to sell perpetual sukuk highlights rising interest in the debt from companies looking to shore up their balance sheets. The manager of all of Malaysia’s 39 airports will hold an investor presentation for the offer on Aug. 25. It will be the nation’s first sale of rated ringgit Islamic bonds with no set maturity following unrated issues by Malaysian Airline System in 2012 and Boustead Holdings in June. Perpetual bonds, which rating companies treat as equity, have been becoming more popular as they allow issuers to raise money without damaging their creditworthiness and offer higher yields to investors. Moreover, it’s more cost efficient because the transaction is tax deductible.

SEDCO Capital announced assigning the External Shari’a Audit of its $160 million real estate funds to Shariyah Review Bureau (SRB). The two funds which SRB will be periodically auditing the implementation of the Shari’a h guidelines are SEDCO Capital Partners Group Opportunities Fund and SEDCO Capital Real Estate Income Fund I. SRB will independently ensure that the investments, Zakah verification, implementation of the modalities and reporting functions are conducted in accordance with the Shari’a guidelines set out by SEDCO Capital Shari’a Supervisory Board.

Lamido Sanusi was crowned Muhammadu Sanusi II, the 14th Emir of Kano in June, taking over from Ado Abdullahi Bayero after his death. A grandson of the 11th Emir of Kano and prince in the royal family, Sanusi was Central Bank governor from 2009 to 2013, when President Goodluck Jonathan suspended him after he exposed massive corruption at the state oil firm. His first months have shown the major challenges he faces: a string of suicide bombings, carried out by women, forced him to cancel the traditional end of Ramadan celebrations called the Durbar. The Islamist Boko Haram insurgency is increasingly targeting Kano. Sanusi also faces possible civil unrest in Kano if Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian southerner seen by many northerners as divisive, wins another term in 2015 elections.

Bank Sohar’s Islamic banking Window – Sohar Islamic has now introduced dedicated Construction Financing in Oman. The Construction Finance product provides an Islamic finance solution for anyone looking to build a new residential property or purchase under construction property. This is a complement to its existing Islamic Home Finance Program which offers Shari’ah compliant financing for ready real estate property. The Construction Finance program comes within a flexible framework catering to the financing needs of customers with financing up to 80% of the price within a financing period reaching up to 25 years. In addition, preferential profit rates are provided to customers for the 1st and 2nd year along with the facility to takeover. If required, installment deferment options are also available.

A new study by International Finance Corporation (IFC) showed that around 35 per cent of SMEs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are excluded from the formal banking sector because they seek Sharia-compliant products that are not readily available in the market. The study, which was carried out across nine countries, found a potential market gap of up to $13.2 billion for SME Islamic financing in the region with a corresponding depository potential of $9.71 billion to $15.05 billion across these countries. The study pointed out that apart from a high level of risk aversion that banks in the region have, poor regulatory environments, differing perceptions of Islamic finance, and a lack of relevant products were hindering the growth of Islamic SME banking.

The Council of Saudi Chambers has launched a series of awards for businesswomen with the main objectives to support and encourage Saudi businesswomen to take a more prominent role in the Kingdom’s economy. The awards will highlight achievements in three categories: ‘Leading Young Businesswoman,’ ‘Leading Businesswoman,’ and ‘Productive Families.’ The nominations will be submitted electronically and that no preference will be given to particular geographic regions within the Kingdom. The jury will not include members of the Council, however, in order to ensure the awards are unbiased. Nominations for the awards will closed on September 10. Results will be announced in 2015 to coincide with the Second National Forum.

Although uouth under the age of 25 represent the clients of tomorrow, many financial institutions steer clear from viewing youth as customers because it is difficult to serve them in a profitable manner. For financial service providers looking to offer savings products to young clients while still making a profit, there are factors at three levels that affect profitability: the market level, the institutional level, and the client-segment level. Ultimately, these three levels drive costs and revenues for FSPs. As more financial institutions begin to enter the youth savings market, it can be improved and augmented by data. The business case is dynamic and will evolve as more FSPs operate in competitive markets with long-term visions looking at the young people of today as tomorrow’s customers.

The Royal Award for Islamic Finance (The Royal Award) Dinner and Award Presentation will be held in Malaysia on 2 September 2014 in conjunction with the Global Islamic Finance Forum 2014 (GIFF 2014). The Royal Award, held once every two years, is spearheaded by Bank Negara Malaysia and Securities Commission Malaysia under the Malaysia International Islamic Financial Centre (MIFC) initiative. The Royal Award recognises and honours an Islamic finance visionary whose achievements and innovation contribute significantly to both the growth of the global economy and social progress of communities around the world. An independent seven-member international jury panel will select the deserving individual for the award.

In an attempt to check financing of militancy, the government will investigate how Islamic banks, including Islami Bank Bangladesh, and other financial institutions have spent their profits till date, said State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday. Intelligence personnel have been instructed to check whether there are any inconsistencies in the financial statements of the institutions, the minister added. Intelligence personnel will also intensify their vigilance in Chittagong Hill Tracts, as some NGOs in the name of Islam are carrying out suspicious activities there. The national committee will also launch a campaign against militancy involving eminent media personalities, said Asaduzzaman, adding that the government would intensify its monitoring on social media like Facebook.

Yesterday, the first results for the Peterborough social impact bond (SIB) were released and the outcomes are promising. Through a program related investment (PRI), The Rockefeller Foundation supported the Peterborough SIB pilot aimed at reducing prisoner recidivism—and now, four years later, we can point to tangible success for this new innovative finance mechanism. The first ever SIB project reduced reoffending by 8.4 percent when compared to a control group. While a reduction of 10 percent was needed to trigger immediate repayment to investors, the performance of this first group indicates that investors are on track to receive positive returns in 2016. If the reduction in reoffending remains above 7.5 percent, the Ministry of Justice will make payments to investors.