Bangladesh Bank has directed the private commercial banks to reinstate their employees, who were either laid off or forced to resign on the ground of Covid-19 pandemic.
The central bank's Banking Policy Department issued a directive in this regard on Thursday.
In the directive, the Bangladesh Bank has asked the private banks to take necessary steps for reinstating the officers and employees who were either laid off, or forced to resign in the last 19 months--from April 1, 2020 to September 15, 2021--without any specific and proven charges.
Besides, the private commercial banks have been asked to send information by September 30 about the officers and employees who were sacked or forced to resign during the period.
At the same time, the central bank has issued new directives to stop laying off bank officers and employees from now on. No official or employee cannot be suspended without any specific and proven complains from now on.
Mentioning that the circular was issued as per Section 45 of the Bank Company Act 1999, the Bangladesh Bank has ordered all the private banks to implement the directive as soon as possible.
Sources at the Bangladesh Bank told the Daily Observer Online on Thursday that some 3,313 employees of six private banks have resigned from January 1, 2020, to August 9 this year.
Of them, 3,070 resigned voluntarily, even though they had not reached their retirement age. Another 201 people were removed, 30 officers were sacked and 12 others were laid off.
Of these, 201 employees were from Eastern Bank, 1,098 from City Bank, 279 from Dutch Bangla Bank, 135 from Standard Bank, 1,211 from Brac Bank and 146 from Mutual Trust Bank.
Bangladesh Bank believes that the matter is unusual, one of the sources said.
On the other hand, a delegation of the Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB), during a meeting with the central bank on Monday, claimed that they laid off some bankers in compliance with the rules. ABB is an organization of the managing directors of banks.
They said it as the Bangladesh Bank sought an explanation behind these resignations during the meeting. The central bank also said that it will continue the ongoing investigation as it is not satisfied with such a response.
A recent report by Bangladesh Bank officially raised the issue of job losses of bankers during the Covid-19 period.
It is also learned that the meeting held at Bangladesh Bank discussed the issue of forcible dismissal of bank employees from the banks. Bangladesh Bank said it was inhumane to sack bankers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Many workers could not find jobs elsewhere due to their high salaries. The issue also created instability in the banking sector.
According to ABB, some bankers have voluntarily resigned following the rules. Their performance was not good. They also quit their jobs as the banks' internal valuation report was not satisfactory.
