Ctg depositors demand immediate gazette on finance minister’s no ‘haircut’ pledge
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told parliament on 8 July that depositors of troubled banks would receive their money back with interest and without any "haircut"
Highlights
- Depositors demand gazette on no-'haircut' policy
- Protest briefly disrupts banking operations in Chattogram
- Bank assures depositors of commitment to safeguard savings
- Depositors seek higher profit rates on merged banks
- Finance minister pledged full repayment with interest
A group of depositors of merged banks staged a sit-in in Chattogram yesterday, demanding the immediate issuance of a gazette notification regarding the finance minister's assurance that their deposits would be returned with interest and no "haircut".
The programme was organised by the Chattogram Division of the Victim Depositors' Association of Sammilito Islami Bank.
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The depositors began gathering in the Laldighi area around 11am. Nearly half an hour later, they entered the Laldighipar branch of Union Bank chanting slogans and staged a sit-in there for around 40 minutes, disrupting activities.
A delegation from the association held a meeting with the branch manager.
During the meeting, the depositors spoke to Abedur Rahman Sikder, the newly appointed managing director of Sammilito Islami Bank, through the manager.
Branch officials of the bank attending the meeting assured the depositors that their concerns were being considered with utmost importance as Abedur Rahman formally took charge on 16 July, and the new board would need some time to organise and implement decisions.
After the meeting, Sharmeen Akter, vice-president of the depositors' association in Chattogram, told TBS, "On 8 July, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told parliament that depositors of troubled banks would get their money back with interest and that there would be no 'haircut'."
"We welcome the finance minister's decision. However, as no official gazette notification has yet been issued, depositors' concerns have not gone away. We strongly demand that the government publish the notification immediately," she said.
Sharmeen also said the profit rate for depositors of the merged bank had been fixed at 4.5% to 5%, which she described as highly discriminatory.
"Other banks are offering profit rates of 9.5% to 10%. So this rate must be revised immediately," she added.
Along with the Union Bank, the protestors went to the First Security Islami Bank branch in Andarkilla and placed their demands.
