The traumatic effect of the Dhaka Attack incident has left us all dented to varied extents. From a corporate point of view, whatever affects the people of the nation as a whole, is bound to affect businesses as well. To look into the matter Weekend Tribune reached out to numerous professionals in different industries, from startup companies to restaurants and transnational corporations.
Here is what they had to say about how things have changed on the inside.
Cookie Jar
“Apart from more emphasis on security, our internal culture is the same as it always was. However, no one can doubt the increased tension and sense of personal security within all of us. Think that is a given.”
- Full-time employee, Cookie Jar
GEEKY Social
“There hasn’t been any drastic changes in the internal culture, to be honest. However, some precautionary measures have been taken by the administration to cover all bases in the case of employee emergencies. We stress more on identity clearance and ask our members to keep their ID with them at all times. They are insisted to contact the upper management whenever they need to.”
- Co-founder, GEEKY Social
PRAN-RFL Group
“On the outside, security has undoubtedly been reinforced. On the inside, certain background checks have been reapplied and revised on every employee. In the case of supplier and third party service providers, a similar practice is being undertaken to ensure security on every level. In addition, we've set a keen eye on irregularities in attendance. As harsh as it may sound, for such a large corporation employing hundreds of people, such acts are a necessity to help everyone be more secure. The effectivity of the measures are reflected when we see how trust and confidence have been kept intact within every team and between every person.”
- Department head, PRAN-RFL Group
United Group
"Yes, there have been a few changes. For clarification’s sake, allow me to provide some practical examples. United Group hires technical consultants who are based outside of Bangladesh, including India, America and Singapore, to oversee certain projects. After the incident occurred, the aforementioned esteemed professionals felt uncomfortable to come into Bangladesh and provide their services. Instead, they prefer to send over an alternate professional. What this results in is a gap in technical knowledge between the first gentleman and the second. Our personnel are prone to repeat certain information in order to explain the task, and in many cases, presents a communication gap between the parties. Why does this matter? Deadlines are strained in the process and the flow of progress is dented.”
“Moreover, United Group also corresponds with other multinational companies. Similarly, these correspondents have chosen to leave Bangladesh due to security concerns, which have stalled the process. Here, a little change on the calendar goes a long way.”
- Senior Executive, United Group
Premier Bank
“The change in the internal work environment is definitely understandable. When opening new accounts for our customers, the verification process has been made to be more robust than it was before, which means more information is asked for. As you may guess, this makes the process longer. Moreover, all accounts which have been left unused, are irregular or may be deemed “dodgy” per se, have been given closer attention to. Add in the metal gates and strengthened security within the workplace, the workplace has been on high alert. However, such measures are necessary, and considered natural by the employees here. Better to be safe than sorry.”
- Full-time employee, Premier Bank
HAKKA DHAKA
“Being a part of one of the more directly affected industries after the Dhaka attack occurrence, our internal changes have been brought forth from external shifts in behaviour. People have been more aware of security concerns, and business have been slowing down. This, in turn, has taken a gloomy impact on our business. However, we all try to stay positive and provide the best service possible, on a consistent basis. Like everyone else, we hope things will take a better turn in the future.”
- Co-founder, HAKKA DHAKA
