Mass bank layoffs come under scrutiny
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has questioned the legality and fairness of the dismissal of nearly 10,000 employees from several Islamic banks after Bangladesh’s 2024 political upheaval, saying workers should not lose their jobs simply because of perceived political affiliations.
The remarks put fresh scrutiny on a mass purge of bank employees carried out during the tenure of the interim government and on allegations by dismissed workers that they were removed without due process.
“Nearly 10,000 people were thrown out. Just look at how oppressive they are.
If they were not oppressive, would they have dismissed so many innocent people?” Tarique said on Sunday (9 August).
“They are not only secretive and treacherous, they are also extremely oppressive,” he said, speaking at an organisational meeting of BNP’s Chattogram city and north and south district units at Radisson Blu Bay View in Chattogram.
Tarique questioned whether employees could legitimately be dismissed because they were not aligned with the ruling political camp.
“Let’s say they were not from your party. But how justified is it to make non-partisan and innocent employees lose their jobs simply for that reason?” he said.
He also highlighted the impact of the dismissals on families, saying many of those affected were women, some with young children, and that the consequences of their unemployment should be considered.
The mass dismissals followed the political changeover on 5 August 2024, when Sheikh Hasina was ousted after a student-led uprising.
During the subsequent interim administration, around 10,000 officials and employees were removed from Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC, First Security Islami Bank, Union Bank, Al-Arafah Islami Bank and Social Islami Bank.
The scale and circumstances of the dismissals have since become a source of dispute, with affected employees alleging that political considerations, rather than professional misconduct or established disciplinary procedures, were used to determine who remained in their jobs.
The employees say many were recruited through regular procedures and were dismissed without prior notice or an opportunity to defend themselves.
They have been holding protests in Dhaka and Chattogram for an extended period, seeking reinstatement and payment of outstanding dues.
At a press conference at Chattogram Press Club on 30 July, dismissed Islami Bank employees placed three demands: reinstatement to their previous positions, payment of unpaid salaries, bonuses and other lawful dues, and an end to what they described as political or group-based misinformation against them.
They also warned that they would continue peaceful demonstrations if their demands were not addressed.
On Sunday, the dismissed employees organised programmes in Chattogram in an effort to bring their grievances directly to the prime minister.
They divided themselves into three groups, with one group staying in Banshkhali and another in Hathazari.
In Banshkhali, the employees said they conveyed their concerns through local representatives, focusing on the financial hardship and deteriorating living conditions faced by families following the loss of their jobs.
They said Tarique listened to their concerns and assured them that he would look into the matter.
The employees said they also raised the issue with him in Hathazari and received a similar assurance that steps would be considered regarding the dismissed workers.
Islami Bank employee Iskandar Sujon said the employees had organised themselves into three groups to make their case to the prime minister.
“We went to the prime minister yesterday after dividing ourselves into three groups. One team worked in Banshkhali and another in Hathazari. Later, around 2,000-2,500 boys and girls from all levels gathered in front of the Radisson Hotel,” he told the media.
The dispute now raises broader questions about accountability in Bangladesh’s banking sector, including whether large-scale employment decisions made during a period of political transition complied with labour rules, internal banking procedures and basic principles of due process.
The prime minister’s comments could increase pressure on the authorities and the banks concerned to explain the basis on which the employees were dismissed and whether individual cases were assessed on professional or disciplinary grounds.
For the dismissed workers, the issue has become both a question of livelihood and a demand for accountability over decisions they say were taken collectively on political grounds.
