The state banks, it seems, can’t help themselves from indulging in irregularities. If it is not financial misdeeds, it is something else.
Take the case of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB). The state-owned specialised lender created for the Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions has been involved in several irregularities related to the promotion and transfer of its officials.
The bank awarded promotions to its several officials by bypassing senior and deserving candidates, which violates the promotion policy.
Besides, some officials of the bank have been in the head office at Rajshahi and Dhaka office for more than 12 years by violating bank staff's transfer regulations-2017.
These irregularities have come up in a recent inspection report of the central bank.
Dhaka Tribune has a copy of the report, which was prepared by the Rajshahi office of the Bangladesh Bank.
The central bank on February 1 has sought an explanation from the managing director of the bank about the irregularities and called for prompt actions to correct the misdeeds.
Md. Idris, who on paper is the deputy managing director of the bank, is currently filling in the post after AKM Sajedur Rahman Khan was recruited as the deputy governor of the BB in November last year.
Five years’ experience including at least three years as a senior officer in the field is required for promotion as a chief officer, according to the bank’s staff regulations-2006.
The RAKUB management violated the regulation in April 2015 while promoting more than 100 senior officers to the post of chief officers, leapfrogging at least 244 eligible candidates.
The officials promoted were between 245 and 392 positions in terms of seniority, as per the central bank inspection report.
On the same day, the bank management refused promotion for 56 senior officers who were between 24 and 84 positions in the seniority ranking.
Several employees who were appointed as senior officers in 2007 got the promotion to chief officers in 2011.
But some who were appointed in 2010 got promotion as chief officers in 2016, which violates the bank’s promotion policy, the inspection report said.
RAKUB had not published the seniority list since September 30, 2014. But recently, following pressure from the staff, it published one.
An employee cannot be kept in the same place for more than three years save for administrative reasons, said the section-3 of the bank staff's transfer regulations-2017 of RAKUB.
But at least 12 officials have been in the head office at Rajshahi and Dhaka for more than 12 years without any administrative reasons, found the BB inspection report.
In so doing, the state bank has violated the regulations imposed by the central bank, which has instructed transfer every three years to prevent money laundering.
Some corrupt high officials of the bank had promoted many inexperienced officials for their own benefits, half a dozen RAKUB officials told Dhaka Tribune on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Anger and dissatisfaction among the officials and employees of the bank have been prevailing for a long time in the bank, which is affecting the activities of the bank, they said.
As a result, the bank’s loss-making branches are only growing in numbers. At the end of June last year, 50 per cent of its branches were loss-making.
The correspondent contacted Idris for comment, but he did not respond to calls or text messages.
