Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Highlights of Thursday’s newspapers:

The Financial Express:

Country’s top bankers Wednesday said the banks have been continuing their investment in share market and have sincere intention to increase it, officials said.

The financial health of the state-owned commercial banks (SCBs) has deteriorated over the years gradually because of their failure to manage their funds properly.

The Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has identified poor physical infrastructure and power shortage as “major constraints” to export and economic growth of the country.

The Daily Star:

An FBI agent yesterday testified in the Tk-20.41-crore money-laundering case filed against BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman and his business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun.

As financial pressure for import of a huge quantity of fuel oil for generation of power is badly hitting the public exchequer, the government is now faced with a new problem — it is unable to finance timely import of fertiliser.

The government took long- and short-term steps to stabilise the stockmarket and compensate those who lost money to downswings, a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said yesterday.

The New Age:

The government has ordered an investigation into a proposal made by the Canada-based Visual Defence Inc to upgrade the security of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka following claims that the documents submitted by the company were inaccurate or false, New Age has learnt.

The cabinet today is scheduled to review the draft of a proposed new law for preventing money-laundering and terror-financing. Finance ministry officials said they had already sent the draft to the Cabinet Division for initiating the process of the legislation which would include a provision for striking bilateral agreements with foreign countries to repatriate money smuggled out of the country.

Dhaka stocks skyrocketed by 7.27 per cent on Wednesday, ahead of the scheduled meeting of the prime minister in the evening with the stakeholders to find a remedy for the ailing stock market.

BBN/SSR/AD-17Nov11-1:22 pm (BST)