Bangladesh Bank employees want benefits reinstated

After the accession of Abdur Rauf Talukdar as governor, the dissatisfaction of the officials of Bangladesh Bank is rising as their job benefits got cancelled. 

To reinstate the benefits, Bangladesh Bank Officers' Welfare Council called a discussion meeting on Monday among themselves. But the meeting was postponed.

Regarding the postponement, Officers' Welfare Council said that after a fruitful discussion with the governor in the presence of a deputy governor of the central bank, the Bangladesh Bank Officers Welfare Council's scheduled meeting was called off. 

They also said that they will share the discussion topics with members soon.   

Earlier, Bangladesh Bank officials urged the central bank governor to reinstate the job benefits as soon as possible.

BB spokesperson Mezbaul Haque did not respond to requests for his comment in this regard.

Central bank officials said because of job benefits reduction, dissatisfaction with the lack of autonomy at the central bank was rising, resulting in several officials quitting.

Recently, 57 officials resigned from Bangladesh Bank, apparently for better career prospects, especially in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS). Additionally, many employees go abroad for study but many choose not to return.

Reasons

A letter from Bangladesh Bank Officers' Welfare Council stated that recently, the central bank cancelled the recreation allowance of Bangladesh Bank officials, additional increments based on foundation training results, and allowances given to training academy officers as faculty members.

After assuming office, governor Abdur Rouf Talukder had announced his vision to establish Bangladesh Bank as an ideal regulatory body.

The banking administrator also announced that it will no longer send foundation training officers for special training abroad and will not give additional increment to the first-class officers based on the academic results at the time of appointment.

The central bank is reducing the benefits of the officials at a time when central bankers in most countries have a better salary structure than state-run entities, the members of the officials' council said.

Such reductions undoubtedly demotivate officers and are inconsistent with the governor’s stated vision, the letter added.