Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told Parliament on Tuesday that Islami Bank is not synonymous with the religion of Islam, as he defended recent management shifts amidst fierce opposition criticism.
During the budget session, the minister responded to concerns raised by opposition MPs regarding changes in the bank’s top leadership, customer protests, and the resignation of the former managing director.
“Islami Bank is not Islam, Mirza Fakhrul is not Islam, and Jamaat-e-Islami is also not Islam. It is not right to invoke Islam for everything,” the minister asserted.
The debate followed allegations from Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, who claimed an “unqualified individual” had been appointed as the bank’s chairman through a “new conspiracy”.
Allegations of embezzlement During a question-and-answer session, Abdullah Mohammad Taher, an opposition MP and Jamaat Deputy Ameer, launched a sharp critique of the government’s handling of the institution. Taher alleged that during the previous administration, the S Alam group embezzled Tk1,25,000 crore from the bank via 26 fake companies.
He further claimed the current government has placed “controversial figures” in the bank, risking additional public losses. Taher questioned the forced resignation of the former managing director and the appointment of the new chairman, warning that disruptions to the bank’s operations could trigger widespread national instability.
In his rebuttal, Salahuddin Ahmed clarified that the Bangladesh Bank holds the legal authority under the Bank Companies Act to remove any official, ranging from the chairman to board directors. He noted that any challenges to these legal powers would require formal amendments to the law.
The minister also alleged that certain groups were orchestrating protests by posing as “customers” to incite unrest within the bank. While encouraging the opposition to criticise freely, he cautioned against “misleading the public” through private and public campaigns.
Assuring the House of the bank’s stability, the minister stated that the shares of legitimate shareholders would be properly transferred.
He also announced that investigations would be launched into entities that had failed to return funds, specifically mentioning the Nabil Group. Furthermore, the government intends to probe the past dismissal of 9,000 employees, which the minister claimed was carried out in violation of established rules.
