Islami Bank employees stage demo, observe 2-hour work stoppage

Employees of Islami Bank staged a demonstration in front of
the bank's Kawran Bazar branch today (8 June), observing a two-hour work
stoppage to press home their demand for the removal of Chairman Md Khurshid
Alam.
The programme was organised under
the banner of the "Islami Bank Sacheton Grahok Forum."
During the protest, the
demonstrators called for the chairman's resignation and observed a two-hour
work stoppage at all Islami Bank branches across the country.
At the bank's Motijheel branch, customer presence was
reportedly minimal during the programme.
The symbolic work stoppage follows
a string of intense street demonstrations.
The "Islami Bank Sacheton
Grahok Forum" had earlier staged a large-scale demonstration in the capital
on 3 June, marching through the city to demand the chairman's exit and urging
bank employees to join today's corporate strike.
The campaign had entered its third
consecutive day as protesters initiated a procession from the bank's head
office premises toward the National Press Club before staging a sit-in in front
of the Secretariat.
Forum President Nurul Nabi Manik
claimed that Islami Bank Chairman Khurshid Alam had been appointed despite his
previous removal by Bangladesh Bank officials following the July Uprising due
to his alleged involvement in financial irregularities under the fallen Awami
League regime.
Manik warned that maintaining such
leadership poses a severe threat to the stability of the institution, which
stands as one of the largest banks in Southeast Asia, and noted that its
collapse would have catastrophic repercussions for the national economy.
The customers' forum urged the
government to lawfully intervene and restore corporate governance by
reinstating experienced managerial personnel who had previously contributed to
the bank's development.
The unrest began after a leadership
change at the country's largest private commercial bank. Former chairman M
Zubaidur Rahman resigned on 24 May, shortly before the Eid holidays.
Later that night, former Bangladesh
Bank deputy governor Khurshid Alam was appointed chairman of the bank. He had
earlier resigned from Bangladesh Bank following protests by central bank
officials after the political changeover of 5 August 2024.
















