Begins formally from today, the competition styled ' Citigroup Financial Quiz Competition' will be managed jointly by Citibank N.A. Bangladesh and North South University.

A total of 36 business students from 12 universities across the country will take part in the competition scheduled to end on August 31, said the organisers at a press conference at the National Press Club in the city yesterday.

"As most of the universities of the country are located in Dhaka, 60 percent of the participants will be from Dhaka-based institutions and the rest will be from outside the capital, while 50 percent of the students will be from public university and the rest will be from private one," said North South University Vice-chancellor Hafiz GA Siddiqui, who chaired the session.

"For achieving 8-9 percent GDP growth, we need sound financial management and through the programme people will become aware of this issue," said Mamun Rashid, Citigroup country officer at the press conference.

He said a few students will directly participate in the programme but the whole nation will be able to watch the programme through television, making them educated on financial issues.

Channel i, a partner organisation of the programme, will telecast the whole 11 episodes of the contest including two semi-finals and one final.

Only under-graduate level university students will be able to participate in the contest.

Each of the three members of the champion team will get $ 1000 as prize money while each member of the runner-up team will get $ 500.

Masih Ul Karim, president of Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Waliur Rahman Bhuiyan, managing director of BOC Bangladesh Ltd, Barrister Nihad Kabir, senior partner of Syed Ishtiaq And Associates were present on the occasion.