Hundreds of depositors from five private banks staged a protest in Chattogram on Wednesday, submitting a memorandum to Bangladesh Bank regional office to demand the security of their assets and the resumption of normal banking operations.
The protesters, representing Union Bank, EXIM Bank, Social Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, and First Security Islami Bank, gathered at the city’s New Market intersection.
As they marched towards Bangladesh Bank office, law enforcement members intercepted the procession mid-way. While the intervention caused brief tension, the situation eventually remained calm.
The demonstrators emphasised that their movement is not politically motivated but is a struggle to protect their hard-earned savings.
During the protest, they expressed strong resentment toward Arif Hossain Khan, the spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank, regarding his recent comments.
Protesters claimed his statement belittled their concerns and demanded an immediate withdrawal, warning of tougher programmes if their grievances are not addressed.
Following the demonstration, a five-member delegation entered Bangladesh Bank office in Chattogram to submit a memorandum outlining their core demands.
These include cancellation of “haircut” policy, a guarantee of full deposit protection, and the swift restoration of normal banking transactions. The depositors said they would not accept any deductions from their deposited funds.F
Local officials at the central bank’s Chattogram office said they could not provide an immediate solution but assured the delegation that the memorandum would be forwarded to governor in Dhaka.
This latest action follows a series of protests earlier in the week. On Monday, depositors locked the branches of five banks in Agrabad, following a similar action on Sunday where four bank branches in Khatunganj were also locked.
