State-Owned Bank Staff Stage Protest Rally

Dhaka: Officers and employees of Bangladesh’s four state-owned commercial banks—Sonali, Rupali, Janata, and Agrani—staged a human chain protest on Saturday (31 January) demanding fair and regular promotions. The demonstrators expressed deep concern over long-standing stagnation in the promotion process, which they say has created frustration, professional uncertainty, and a sense of inequality among bank personnel.

The protest was held in front of the National Press Club, where participants voiced their grievances and presented a set of formal demands. According to the demonstrators, a circular issued by the Department of Financial Institutions on 14 October last year effectively halted regular promotions in the four state-owned banks. The directive stipulated that no regular promotions should be granted until “supernumerary” promotions are reconciled or integrated.

Participants noted that although the banks completed the supernumerary reconciliation and submitted reports to the financial institutions department on 15 October, no visible progress on regular promotions has occurred since.

The staff emphasised that there is no legal or procedural conflict between supernumerary and regular promotions. They highlighted that other government and semi-autonomous organisations maintain supernumerary promotions without halting regular promotions. They condemned the suspension in state-owned banks, terming it discriminatory and unacceptable.

Officials insisted that 2024 promotions should be awarded based on vacant positions within that year, adhering to each bank’s existing promotion policies, and using 31 December 2024 as the cut-off date. They argued that no new policy or directive in 2025 can legally override employees’ entitlements for 2024 promotions.

They further demanded that after the approval of a new organisational structure, supernumerary promotions should be reconciled in three stages. Additionally, they called for a second phase of regular promotions based on a cut-off of 31 December 2025, with all promotions implemented retroactively effective from 1 January.

Concerns were also raised regarding certain provisions in the draft “Promotion Policy 2025 for Employees of State-Owned Commercial Banks,” which staff argue undermine employee rights. Protesters demanded either amendments to these provisions or the creation of a fair, practical, and non-discriminatory promotion policy modelled on Bangladesh Bank’s standards. They urged that the new policy be implemented from 1 January 2026, without any retrospective effect.

Md. Motaher Hossain spoke on behalf of the bank employees during the demonstration. The protest drew a large turnout from officers and employees across all four state-owned banks.

Vacant Positions and Promotion Status in State-Owned Banks (2024–2025)

The protest underscores growing frustration among state-owned bank employees over delayed promotions and seeks immediate policy reform to ensure equitable career advancement.