Sacked Islami Bank Officers Protest in Chattogram, Demand Reinstatement and Halt to Recruitment.

Hundreds of dismissed employees of Islami Bank Bangladesh gathered in Chattogram on 31 October to form a human chain, demanding their reinstatement and the suspension of the bank’s ongoing recruitment drive. The protest, which took place at 11am in front of the Chattogram Press Club, saw participants holding banners and placards calling for their terminations to be declared unlawful and the recruitment process to be halted.

On the previous day, the dismissed officers filed a legal case at the Dhaka Fifth Joint District Judge’s Court, seeking a ruling that their termination was illegal and requesting an injunction to stop the new hiring. The court has since issued summonses to Islami Bank, instructing the respondents to appear on 14 January.

The bank recently announced recruitment for various positions, including trainee assistant officers and trainee assistant officers (cash), with examinations set for 1 November. The former employees condemned the recruitment process, labelling it as “unjust” and alleging it was a “conspiracy” to replace experienced staff with new hires.

Speaking at the protest, former officer SM Emdad Hossain stated, “We joined the bank following proper procedures and earned every promotion based on merit. Yet, we were dismissed without explanation. Now, the board is trying to fill our positions illegally. We only want to return to the institution we helped build.”

Hossain also urged job seekers to boycott the upcoming exams, saying, “Those sitting for the test are our brothers and sisters. You’ve seen what happened to us — don’t fall into the same trap.”

Other speakers, including Moktar Hossain Rashid and Mohammad Humayun, called for intervention from Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, with one speaker appealing, “You are a son of Chattogram. Over 5,000 families here are suffering after losing their jobs. We urge you to step in and restore our employment.”

The protest organisers emphasised that their movement remained peaceful, but they warned that stronger actions might follow if their demands were ignored.