The activities of Sammilito Islami Bank have officially started from December 29 last year, said Bangladesh Bank's assistant spokesperson Shahriar Siddique.
He said that a specific scheme has been formulated to return the money of depositors and the process of returning the deposits is going on step by step according to that scheme.
He gave this information at a briefing organized at the Bangladesh Bank office in Sena Kalyan Bhaban in Dhaka at 11 am on Tuesday (April 7).
Siddique said that the process of returning the money of the depositors of the concerned banks through Sammilito Islami Bank has started.
According to this scheme, depositors can withdraw a minimum of Tk2 lakh from the first day. In the next phase, there will be an opportunity to withdraw Tk1 lakh every three months. In this way, the opportunity to withdraw the entire amount has been kept in a maximum of 21 months in a phased manner.
He said that a refund system has been set for not only general savings or current accounts, but also for various types of deposits including FDR (Fixed Deposit) and DPS.
An initial withdrawal of Tk1 lakh can be made from FDRs or DPSs that reach maturity.
The remaining amount will be renewed as per the stipulated time and the depositor will get the opportunity to withdraw their profit at the time of renewal each time, although the principal amount will remain unchanged.
He said that there will be an opportunity to renew three times in the case of three-month deposits.
Twice in the case of six-month deposits and twice in the case of one-year or two-year deposits, there will be an opportunity to withdraw money in stages through renewal as per the stipulated time.
The assistant spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank said that special facilities have been provided for depositors suffering from serious illnesses or incurable diseases beyond the normal withdrawal limit.
People undergoing treatment for kidney patients or other complex diseases will be able to withdraw unlimited amount from their accounts as needed for medical expenses. However, appropriate medical documents will have to be submitted for this.
Besides, in the case of any other illness, the administrator of the concerned bank can give permission and allow withdrawal of money up to a maximum of Tk10 lakh.
If more money is required, Bangladesh Bank will consider the matter and make arrangements to release additional money if they apply through the concerned branch.
Shahriar Siddique said that if any depositor faces any problem in withdrawing money as per the prescribed rules, they can report the matter through the concerned bank or directly to Bangladesh Bank.
He said that the government is taking this process forward by giving top priority to protecting the interests of depositors.
The depositors have been patiently dealing with the situation for a long time and the government and Bangladesh Bank are working to ensure that their money is returned.
He said that the process of forming a new management is also underway to run the full activities of Sammilito Islami Bank. A new advertisement has already been issued for the appointment of the bank's Managing Director (MD), applications have been collected and the process of vetting them is underway.
After the government's approval, Bangladesh Bank will approve it as soon as possible.
Similarly, the process of appointing the bank's chairman is also underway and it is expected to be completed soon.
Shahriar Siddique said that as five Islamic banks merged to form Sammilito Islami Bank, human resources, branches and technological systems are now being integrated.
He said that in many areas, there are multiple bank branches at the same location. They will be merged step by step and converted into one effective branch, so that operational costs will be reduced and efficiency will be increased.
Besides, there is no need for separate head offices of the five banks. The head offices that were being operated in rented buildings are being gradually closed down.
Five types of core banking software are currently being used in the five banks. Experts are working to integrate these software and bring them into an integrated technology platform.
At the same time, plans are being taken forward on how to reorganize the existing manpower of the banks, which officer will be given what responsibility and how employment will be managed at the head office and branch levels.
Shahriar Siddique said that the government and Bangladesh Bank want to make Sammilito Islami Bank an efficient, profitable and sustainable bank. For this, all kinds of administrative and structural reforms are being taken forward quickly.
He also said that the depositors have already faced the situation with patience for a long time. They have been requested to be patient for some more time and the government is working with utmost importance to protect their interests.
