Grameenphone declares 130pc cash dividend in virtual AGM
Country’s leading mobile phone operator, Grameenphone on Tuesday announced 130 per cent cash dividend for the year 2019, reports BSS.
Grameenphone’s 23rd Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was taken place virtually amid COVID-19 outbreak in the country, approved the dividend, said a statement.
It announced the dividend in cash at the rate of 40 per cent of the paid-up capital or Tk 4 per share of Tk 10 each.
“With this cash dividend pay-out, the total cash dividend stands at 130 per cent of the paid-up capital, including the previous 90 per cent interim cash dividend pay-out, amounting to 50.86 per cent of Profit After Tax for the year 2019,” added the statement.
It said in compliance with the directives set by Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, and considering the health and safety of all the attending shareholders, staff and others during the ongoing COVID-19 situation, Grameenphone carried the first ever virtual AGM.
Although the concept is new in Bangladesh, but Grameenphone has designed and developed this digital platform to run the virtual AGM with continuous and meaningful engagement and participation of the shareholders.
Grameenphone Board chair Petter B Furberg, Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman along with other board members and senior officials joined the AGM conducted by the company secretary SM Imdadul Haque.
Petter B Furberg said, “As the world is facing this COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, my thoughts and prayers for those who lost their near and dear ones.”
“We ask everyone to play a vigilant role and seek everyone’s support to come forward and ensure the safety of society,” he said.
“We believe this needs to be a collaborative effort, and as a united force, we can surely contain its adverse effect on the economy and empower the society,” Furberg added.
In order to combat the outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 in Bangladesh, Grameenphone has put safety first for its employees, customers, partners and shareholders by working closely with a2i, DGHS, WHO, UNICEF and different authorities to drive awareness and help medical frontlines donating 50,000 medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPEs) and 10,000 test kits.
The PPEs and testing kits will be given to the hospitals designated by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) for treating coronavirus patients.
Petter B Furberg further said: “We are constantly working with the authorities, to find an amicable and transparent resolution to protect the rights of customers, partners, and shareholders.”