The number of female employees in the country’s banking and non-bank financial institutions has witnessed a significant decline over the past six months. According to the latest gender parity report released by the central bank, the country’s banks have seen a reduction of 721 female staff members, while non-bank financial institutions have recorded a decrease of 49 female employees. In total, 770 women have left or been removed from the financial sector in this period.
Employment Trends in Banking and Financial Institutions
As of December, the total number of female employees in the banking sector stood at 35,061, down from 35,782 in June, reflecting a loss of 721 staff members. Meanwhile, non-bank financial institutions reported 1,019 female employees at the end of December, compared to 1,068 in June, a reduction of 49. The report covers data from 61 banks and 35 financial institutions across the country.
The overall workforce in the banking and financial sector, combining both male and female employees, was 218,487 at the end of December. Of these, 182,407 were men and 36,080 were women, indicating that women constitute only 16.5 per cent of the workforce, while men account for 83.5 per cent.
| Sector | June Employees | December Employees | Change | Female Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banks | 35,782 | 35,061 | -721 | 16.5% |
| Non-bank Financial Institutions | 1,068 | 1,019 | -49 | 16.5% |
| Total | 36,850 | 36,080 | -770 | 16.5% |
Industry analysts attribute the decline to several factors, including recent consolidations and closures of troubled banks and financial institutions following political transitions in 2024. Many female employees either lost their positions or chose to resign. Family obligations and social pressures have also contributed to women leaving the sector.
Anita Gazi Rahman, Director at BRAC Bank and Senior Lawyer of the Supreme Court, commented: “The reduction of women is not limited to banks; it is a nationwide trend across workplaces. Women often outperform men academically, yet this advantage diminishes in professional settings due to societal, familial, and institutional barriers. Many women are compelled to leave their careers to manage household responsibilities. To reverse this trend, workplaces, families, and society must become more women-friendly. Policy reform, awareness, and structural changes are critical.”
Most female bankers are employed in private commercial banks, which account for 22,983 women, followed by state-owned commercial banks with 9,147 women. Specialized commercial banks employ 1,947 women, while foreign commercial banks have 984 female employees. Percentage-wise, foreign banks have the highest representation of women at over 25 per cent, whereas private commercial banks have the largest absolute number but only 16 per cent female representation.
Within banks, the majority of women occupy entry-level positions (over 17 per cent), 16.19 per cent are in mid-level roles, and only 10.35 per cent hold senior or policymaking positions.
This data highlights the persistent gender gap in the country’s financial sector, despite incremental progress in female workforce participation over the past five years.