Operations resume at 26 Patiya banks after 5-hour disruption amid protest by sacked staff
Banking services in Chattogram's Patiya upazila were halted for nearly five hours on Sunday (10 August) as hundreds of recently terminated bank employees staged a demonstration, blocking access to at least 26 branches.
The protesters, former staff of six banks recently freed from the control of S Alam Group, began their sit-in around 9am, occupying the entrances of bank branches in the upazila town.
They also briefly blocked the Chattogram–Cox's Bazar highway.
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Carrying banners reading "Banking activities blocked to demand reinstatement," over a thousand demonstrators remained in front of state-owned and private banks, preventing customers from entering and bringing transactions to a standstill.
After nearly four hours, upazila and police officials arrived to mediate. Patiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Farhanur Rahman told The Business Standard that authorities requested the protesters to withdraw "in consideration of public suffering."
From 1pm, they began clearing entrances, starting with Sonali Bank, until all banks had reopened by 2pm.
Patiya Circle Additional Police Superintendent Ariful Islam said officers also persuaded demonstrators to leave the highway, after which banking operations gradually returned to normal.
The protest followed sweeping changes in the banking sector after the collapse of Sheikh Hasina's government on 5 August 2024, when Bangladesh Bank dissolved the boards of six S Alam-controlled banks; Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Al-Arafah Islami Bank, and Union Bank.
New boards have since taken over.
In the following days, employees appointed during S Alam's tenure were dismissed. The terminated employees claim the layoffs disproportionately targeted those from Patiya, the home area of S Alam's owner, and other Chattogram residents.
They allege the firings were carried out without notice and affected some 7,000 employees, many of whom say they are now too old to find new work, leaving thousands of families in financial distress.
Patiya is home to 26 bank branches. These include Sonali Bank, Rupali Bank, Al-Arafah Islami Bank, IFIC, Pubali Bank, NRBC Bank, NRB Global Islami Bank, Union Bank, Agrani Bank, Mercantile Bank, Uttara Bank, First Security Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank Women's Branch, Krishi Bank, Islami Bank Limited, Janata Bank, Dhaka Bank, National Bank, City Bank, United Commercial Bank, Social Islami Bank, BRAC Bank, Bangladesh Commerce Bank, Eastern Bank, Karmasangsthan Bank, and a sub-branch of Social Islami Bank.
