The central bank governor yesterday accused banks of holding up employees, including female staff, way past the banking hours, a move that can be termed a serious allegation against the institutions.

“Bank officials and employees, even the female staff, are unnecessarily told to stay in the office on the pretext of work even after the close of banking hours at 6:00pm. This is not humane,” Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman said at a meeting with chief executives of all banks. BB has been receiving complaints of forced resignations, suspensions of yearly increments and promotions, terminations or removal of employees and later creating obstacles for receiving their dues, he said. 

In many cases, the administrative measures were taken against the bank officials and employees unjustly or intentionally, he said.

There have also been allegations that many banks have a clause in their human resource policy which allows them to terminate an employee without showing any cause.

“This may result in the destruction of a long banking career of good officials. Such practices may turn out to be obstructions to the development of the banking sector,” Rahman said, adding that strict measures will be taken if the allegations are proved.

About the BB governor's allegations, several private and state bank officials told The Daily Star that some high officials do not start work until afternoon, due to which many are held back until night.

“I don't know what happens in other banks, but Mutual Trust Bank always encourages, especially the female staff, to leave office before 6pm,” Anis A Khan, managing director of MTB, said.

“In fact, during winter times, when it gets dark earlier, I encourage the female staff to even leave at 5pm,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rahman also said the banks have been setting illogical deposit collection targets for their employees.

As a result, the officials are less interested in serving their clients and more focused on bringing in new deposits, he said. “This has created an unhealthy competition.”

The central bank governor also said the banks are setting profit targets beyond their abilities and not giving proper attention to business development.

“The chief executives of banks also accept such illogical profit targets to appease the boards. And to meet the targets, the officials resort to various immoral tactics. It creates scope for irregularities and fraud.”

Subsequently, he urged banks to be more cautious when it comes to collecting deposits and earning profits.

Rahman yesterday completed six years at the helm of BB.  At the meeting, all MDs congratulated him and said during this period the foreign exchange reserves crossed the unprecedented $24 billion mark. The governor also encouraged the bankers to appoint female deputy managing directors, and asked them to fix the maximum age limit of entry into service for children of freedom fighters at 32 years.