A file photo shows female employees working alongside their male counterparts at a branch of a bank in the capital. Bangladesh Bank on Thursday issued order to all banks asking them to pay their female staff overtime allowances if they are held back at office after 6:00pm for any emergency case.

Bangladesh Bank on Thursday issued order to all banks asking them to pay their female staff overtime allowances if they are held back at office after 6:00pm for any emergency case. The BB issued a circular to managing directors and chief executive officers of banks asking them to ensure adequate security for their female staff if they are forced to stay for any emergency after closing the daily work at the branches at 6:00pm. The central bank received allegations that female bank officials were facing gender harassment as managements of banks detained them till 7:00pm to 8:00pm after closing the daily work of the branches, often without any valid reason, a BB official said. Female staff of banks suffer from a lack of security when they go home in the evening due to their overtime duty, he said. Banks have to pay overtime allowances to their female staff if any one of them has to stay back at the branch due to special necessity of the bank after 6:00pm, the BB circular said. The BB has recently received a number of allegations that some banks sacked their officials en masse, violating rules and regulations, according to the circular. The BB asked the banks to stop such job cut as it is harmful for the banks’ human resource management. The central bank asked the banks to recruit officials after verifying properly on the basis of professionalism, the circular said. Banks have to take initiative to develop the job skill of their officials by arranging proper training and workshop, it said. The BB asked banks to follow International Labour Organisation conventions, Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 and the central bank guidelines in suspending or removing any official. Banks have to provide the financial facility as per the job agreement to their terminated officials.