The second day of the nationwide hartal called by the main opposition BNP could not cast any major impact on banking activities in the city, though the bankers were under severe security risks during the shutdown.

Security experts also observed that most of the branches of different commercial banks usually store huge amount of cash and this becomes a major security concern during a strike.

BNP has declared a fresh hartal on Tuesday for the third consecutive day for getting back its leader M Ilias Ali, who has been missing along with his driver since April 17.

A high official of a commercial bank told daily sun that despite risks, they have to keep the branches open and operate transactions to meet regulatory compliance.

The front doors of the bank branches were found closed yesterday, but the back-doors were seen open for the customers.

During visits to different banks in city including the head offices of Sonali Bank and Janata Bank, Mouchak branch of Al-Arafah Islami Bank, Moghbazar banch of Bank Asia and Dilkusha branch of Islami Bank, daily sun correspondent found the presence of almost cent percent officials while the counters were also found busy in transactions.

Dr Syed Abdul Hamid, managing director and CEO of Agrani Bank, said they face risks both in cash movement and transaction during hartal.

Safety of the employees is also a concern as violence may occur at any moment while cash movement also becomes highly risky during hartal. However, we did not face any trouble so far, Dr Hamid added.

Md Abdul Mannan, managing director of Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd, said hartal may benefit some people politically, but it certainly causes harm to the country’s businesses and economy.

Branches have to carry out transactions amid risks in every moments but it is a good thing that we have not experienced any security issue at any of our branches in the recent past, Mannan pointed out.

The corporate branch of Sonali Bank at Motijheel transacted around Tk one billion in terms of debit and credit while nearly 800 to 1000 customers visited the branch for their banking needs on Monday.

Fanindra Tribedi, manager of the branch, told daily sun that the transaction at his branch was satisfactory.

The Dilkusha branch of Bank Asia transacted over Tk 5 billion on Monday while the branch usually handles around Tk 10 billion on an average.

Many of our clients avoid banking on hartal days due to disturbance in regular movement and the risks involved in carrying cash, the manager of the branch, said.

Staff attendance is 100 percent and they arrived on time while turning up of the customers is also not frustrating, he said.

The typical hartal scenario has been changed compared to the hartals in 1995, when a strike could spread large scale panic and barred people from getting out of their homes. The effects of hartals are decreasing now, and time has come to think substitute of hartals, said Mijanur Rahman Khan, a customer at Malibag branch of Prime Bank Ltd.

News: Daily Sun/ Bangladesh/ 24-April-2012