The authority of Grameen Bank could not open any new branch in last two years because of a row with the government over its management and ownership.
Grameen Bank data showed that the micro-credit organisation failed to set up new branch offices in last two years since March 2012 despite good credit recovery rate.
Official sources said the GB authority sent the latest data on the bank to Bank and Financial Institutions Division last week.
Grameen Bank had a total of 2,567 branches till March in 2012 while 2,565 branches in 2010. Only two branches opened during this period.
The loan recovery rate of GB was 97.37% in March 2014 while it was 97.11% in March 2013, according to GB data.
The number of total members of GB had also increased from 84 lakh to 86 lakh in last one year, the data show.
Tahsina Khatun, one of the nine borrower members of the existing board, told the Dhaka Tribune that no new branch offices had opened in last two years due to the dispute between the government and the Grameen Bank authority. “So, it puts negative impact on operation of the bank.”
Ordinary members of Grameen Bank have also expressed their concern over the row between the GB and the government, she said, adding that manpower will be required for setting up a new branch office, but the process has now been stalled on the instructions of the board of directors.
Khondaker Muzammel Huq, chairman of Grameen Bank appointed by the government, told the Dhaka Tribune that he resigned his chairmanship of the bank in last August.
“I cannot talk about the macro-credit institution. Even I do not know whether the institution was doing good or bad in last couple of years,” he added.
The finance minister did not accept his resignation, he said. “The government knows better about the matter.”
Tahsina Khatun, however, claimed that Khondaker Muzammel Huq did not resign his post as he chaired the board meeting of GB on January 29.
The board of directors of GB last week protested the government’s move to elect a new board of the micro-lender by October 5, terming it “a conspiracy to destroy” the bank.
“We, the elected directors, strongly protest the government’s conspiracy to destroy Grameen Bank and demand that the existing system through which the bank members have been electing their directors for more than three decades, be retained,” said a bank statement recently.