Customers' forum heads to finance ministry with memorandum seeking Islami Bank chairman's resignation
According to the protesters, customers have withdrawn more than Tk5,000 crore in deposits over the past nine days.
As protests over the appointment of Islami Bank Chairman Md Khurshid Alam continue, a delegation led by the Conscious Customers' Forum headed to the Ministry of Finance today (10 June) to submit a memorandum demanding his resignation.
The forum, which has been protesting for more than a week, was joined by several thousand customers, according to its leaders.
The memorandum is addressed to the finance minister.
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Earlier, the forum's convener and spokesperson, Professor Nur Un Nabi, said they would begin a march from in front of Islami Bank's head office in Dilkusha, Motijheel, at around 11am and proceed towards the Secretariat.
The forum has been protesting since Khurshid was appointed chairman of the bank.
According to the protesters, customers have withdrawn more than Tk5,000 crore in deposits over the past nine days.
They also claimed that Islami Bank's cash reserve ratio maintained with Bangladesh Bank had fallen from Tk7,000 crore to Tk1,600 crore as of yesterday.
Thousands of customers have been gathering at branches to withdraw their money.
Bankers said that unless the central bank takes swift measures to address the situation, the bank's current account with Bangladesh Bank could turn negative in the near future, making it more difficult for the bank to meet customer withdrawal demands.
Nur Un Nabi said Islami Bank became one of the leading banks in Bangladesh, Asia and the world shortly after its establishment in 1983. He alleged that in 2017, with the support of the previous government and intelligence agencies, control of the bank was handed to the S Alam Group, resulting in irregular lending and the laundering of funds abroad.
Professor Dr M Zubaidur Rahman resigned as chairman on 24 May. Former deputy governor Md Khurshid Alam was later appointed chairman. He had resigned from the deputy governor post following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on 5 August amid protests.
Since his appointment, a section of customers and shareholders has expressed dissatisfaction. Amid the ongoing protests, the resignation of managing director Md Omar Faruk was accepted during a virtual board meeting on 1 June.
