Employees of Islamic Bank listed for the “Special Competency Assessment” exam blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Faujdarhat, Chittagong, for nearly an hour on Saturday.
According to eyewitnesses, the protest began around 11 a.m. near the Faujdarhat police outpost, where employees held a human chain demanding redress for various grievances. By noon, over a thousand male and female staff members had sat on the highway, chanting slogans, which brought traffic on both sides to a standstill and caused a long traffic jam.
The protest was part of an indefinite strike announced on Friday during a press conference at Chittagong Press Club. On Saturday, employees began the highway sit-in as part of this ongoing action.
The blockade was lifted around 12:45 p.m. after police held talks with the protesters, and traffic gradually returned to normal. Abdul Momin, officer-in-charge of Bar Aulia Highway Police, said, “By 12:45 p.m., the protesters had cleared the highway. We have been assured that the relevant authorities will address their demands.”
The demonstrators’ key demands include the reinstatement of dismissed employees, an end to punitive transfers of staff involved in the protest, a fair and discrimination-free work environment, and a proper investigation into alleged mental and physical harassment of Chittagong-based staff, with appropriate action against those responsible.
During Friday’s press conference, Islamic Bank employees expressed concern over potential dismissals under the current management. Five specific demands were outlined, with the promise that the strike would continue until these were met.
Protester S.M.M. Emdad Hossain described the current management as “illegal” and accused them of discriminating against Chittagong-based employees. Over 300 staff members have reportedly been dismissed, while more than 5,200 were appointed as special officers or transferred as a punitive measure.
Emdad also alleged that the bank authorities had deactivated their user IDs, staff accounts, and bank accounts, preventing them from accessing salaries even after the 25th of the month.
Following political changes, Islamic Bank came under the control of the S. Alam Group. During this period, thousands of employees were reportedly recruited through verbal instructions without proper examinations or vetting.
As a result, the workforce increased to 22,000, up from around 13,500 in 2016. Of those recruited verbally, 5,385 staff members were called to participate in the competency assessment exam on September 27. Many employees allege that the “Special Competency Assessment” is being used as a pretext to dismiss thousands of their colleagues.
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