“I didn’t trust my father, I trusted you and gave money”
Salary and bonus of bank officials are going on. But if we ask for our money they can’t pay. Just asking for time and talking about haircuts. We come and go every day. They are making such a fuss with the money of the depositors. We want our money back. We are asking for our own money, not anyone else’s money.’
Shaheenur Begum, a retired employee, was speaking about the anger in First Security Islami Bank area in Khatunganj area of Chittagong city. He was also present at the protest of more than two hundred depositors at the bank’s Khatunganj corporate branch this afternoon. Earlier on this day, protestors locked Union Bank and Exim Bank Khatunganj corporate branches.
বিজ্ঞাপন
It has been learned that they protested in front of Union Bank this morning to demand cancellation of hair cut (deduction of profits) and normalization of transactions of depositors of five banks which are in the process of merger. Later he locked the bank. After that, when First Security Islami Bank was also locked, there was a ruckus. Later, when the police came and opened the lock, the situation became normal.
The banks in the process of merger are Exim Bank, Social Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank and Union Bank. About 75 lakh depositors have a total deposit of Tk 1 lakh 31 thousand crore in these banks. The depositors protested two or three times earlier in different branches of Chittagong to get back the deposits.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Around 12 noon, a police team came to First Security Islami Bank Khatunganj branch. At this time, the depositors entered the branch manager’s room. The depositors had several arguments with the manager. One can be heard saying, ‘I don’t trust my father, I don’t trust my wife, I trusted you and gave money. Why can’t you pay my money.’
When asked, the branch manager of the bank, KM Abu Saeed, said, “They came to demand cancellation of haircuts and normal transactions.” We have conveyed their demands to the higher ups. Most of those who came here are grassroots depositors. After the police convinced them, they left.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station Aftab Uddin told Prothom Alo, “We have spoken to both sides. Claims of depositors are routed through banks to superiors. The lock of Union Bank was opened around 2 pm.
Incidentally, on January 14, the central bank decided not to pay any profit from the beginning of 2024 to the end of 2025 on the deposits of the five banks that are in the process of merger. This creates concern and criticism among depositors. Later, moving away from that position, the new decision fixed 4 percent profit on personal and term deposits for 2024 and 2025.
Earlier, shares of five banks were declared zero. In addition to entrepreneurs accused of looting, the shares of common investors of five banks also became zero. Then Bangladesh Bank said that the price of each share has become negative 200 to 300 taka. As a result, the depositors as well as the investors suffered losses.
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