Chittagong’s Patiya: 20 Banks Shut Down Due to Protests by Sacked Employees

In Chittagong’s Patiya, the operations of at least 20 banks came to a halt on Sunday due to protests by sacked officers and employees from six private banks. The demonstrators also blocked ATM booths across Patiya, causing significant inconvenience to customers seeking banking services. The protests began at 9 AM and continued throughout the morning.

The protesters, formerly employed by Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, Social Islami Bank Limited, Al-Arafah Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, Union Bank, and First Security Islami Bank, claimed that around 7,000 employees, mostly from Patiya, were sacked following a government change in August last year. They have been protesting for days, demanding reinstatement, alleging their terminations were unjust and without notice. As part of their agitation, they shut down all bank operations in Patiya on Sunday.

Eyewitnesses reported that the sacked employees gathered at Patiya Adarsha University field at 7 AM for a pre-planned protest. By 9 AM, they positioned themselves in front of all bank branches in Patiya, preventing bank staff and customers from entering. The affected banks include six public and 14 private institutions. The protest continued until at least 11:30 AM, when this report was filed. Nazim Uddin, manager of Janata Bank’s Patiya branch, told that Sundays see high customer traffic due to banks being closed on Fridays and Saturdays. Many customers were unable to access services and were returning home, while others were leaving their contact details. However, the blockade by protesters prevented the bank from operating. One of the protesters, Shibli Alam, a former cash officer at Social Islami Bank’s Chuadanga branch, told Prothom Alo that he was abruptly sacked without reason, leaving him helpless. He vowed to continue the protests with others until their jobs are reinstated. The sudden closure of banks caused significant hardship for locals. Abul Kalam, a schoolteacher, told Prothom Alo around 11 AM in front of Sonali Bank’s Patiya branch that he had come to withdraw his salary but was unable to do so due to the closure. He expressed frustration over his urgent need for funds and uncertainty about what to do next. Patiya Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Nuruzzaman stated that the police are engaging with the protesters to resolve the issue and have urged them to allow banks to resume operations to alleviate public inconvenience.