Special Correspondent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A recent inspection by Bangladesh Bank has uncovered alleged irregularities in the recruitment process of Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC during the period when the bank was under the control of S Alam Group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the central bank\u2019s inspection report, as many as 8,542 people were recruited between 2017 and August 2024 without following the bank\u2019s prescribed recruitment procedures. During the same period, a total of 10,832 employees were recruited by the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The inspection found that recruitment advertisements were not published in national newspapers for a large number of these appointments, while written examinations were also not conducted in many cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A significant portion of those recruited reportedly came from Chattogram, particularly from Patiya, the birthplace of S Alam, formally known as Saiful Alam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Bangladesh Bank data, Islami Bank had 21,551 employees as of August 31, 2024. Of the 10,832 employees recruited between 2017 and August 31, 2024, 466 entered through lateral recruitment and 10,336 were recruited at entry level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under Islami Bank\u2019s recruitment policy, advertisements for recruitment to various positions were required to be published in at least two national daily newspapers. Candidates were supposed to be given at least 15 days to apply, followed by written and oral examinations. A minimum score of 50 percent in both examinations was considered a basic qualification for appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, after changes in ownership and control of the bank in 2017, the prescribed recruitment process was allegedly bypassed on a large scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bangladesh Bank report said amendments were made to the bank\u2019s human resources policy to facilitate such appointments. A new provision, Clause 7.04, allowed the managing director and chief executive officer to recruit employees at entry and lateral entry levels in cases of \u201curgent necessity,\u201d with certain formalities being relaxed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The central bank, however, observed that the provision effectively undermined Clause 7.01 of the original recruitment policy, which required recruitment advertisements to be published in at least two national newspapers and candidates to be given at least 15 days to apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the inspection report, provisions for recruitment during emergencies were generally intended for a limited number of lateral-entry or specialised technical positions. But at Islami Bank, the provision was allegedly used to recruit more than 6,000 employees at the probationary level, which the report described as unusual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The inspection also found no evidence of a major manpower shortage at the bank during the period. Rather, statements from officials at the time indicated that the large-scale recruitment without advertisements exceeded the bank\u2019s actual manpower requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bangladesh Bank\u2019s inspection found that 8,099 of the employees recruited during the S Alam era were from Chattogram Division, including 5,148 from Patiya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report raised concerns that the absence of recruitment advertisements restricted candidates from other parts of the country from applying and competing for the positions. It also observed that the concentration of recruits from Chattogram created a potential institutional risk and may have deprived qualified candidates from other regions of employment opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The inspection also revealed a separate mechanism through which CVs were collected and candidates were shortlisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to information provided by Islami Bank authorities to Bangladesh Bank, boxes were placed at S Alam Group Chairman\u2019s residence in Patiya and at the group\u2019s office in Asadganj, Chattogram, to collect candidates\u2019 CVs. The boxes reportedly carried labels such as \u201cPatiya General,\u201d \u201cPatiya Cash,\u201d \u201cMale General-Satkania-Lohagara,\u201d \u201cMale Cash-Gandamara-Banshkhali,\u201d \u201cFemale-Cash,\u201d \u201cWomen\u201d and \u201cDiploma.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CVs deposited in these boxes were reportedly screened and selected candidates were subsequently sent to the bank\u2019s head office. Appointment letters were then issued from the head office, according to the bank authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The central bank also found irregularities in the recruitment of the bank\u2019s 24th batch of Probationary Officers. No recruitment advertisement was published for the batch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In early 2019, a list of 840 candidates from Chattogram was sent to the bank\u2019s head office. The University of Dhaka\u2019s Department of Banking and Insurance was later assigned to conduct their written examination. A total of 763 candidates took the examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the bank\u2019s rules, candidates were required to score at least 50 percent to pass. However, only 36 candidates achieved that score. The pass mark was subsequently reduced to 20 percent, after which 552 candidates were called for oral examinations. A total of 304 candidates passed the oral examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, 12 candidates who had not taken the written examination were included through oral examinations alone. Eventually, 190 candidates\u2014including the first 178 candidates on the list and the 12 who had not taken the written examination\u2014were appointed to Islami Bank. Another 126 candidates were sent to First Security Islami Bank. All of the candidates were from Chattogram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of the 190 candidates appointed to Islami Bank, 184 eventually joined the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bangladesh Bank inspection found similar deviations from recruitment rules in several other positions between 2017 and 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the period, 2,232 Trainee Assistant Officers (General), 2,828 Trainee Assistant Officers (Cash), and 501 Trainee Junior Officers were recruited without advertisements being published in newspapers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similar allegations were also found in lateral-entry recruitment. A total of 466 employees were recruited through lateral entry during the period, of whom 264 were from Chattogram district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the inspection, Bangladesh Bank obtained written statements from 10 officials who were working in Dhaka and had been recruited during the period under review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All of them reportedly said they had submitted CVs and obtained jobs through oral examinations without sitting for written tests. Two officials said they did not even appear for an oral examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several officials reportedly said they had submitted their CVs at boxes placed at S Alam Group Chairman\u2019s residences in Sugandha Residential Area and Panchlaish, as well as at the group\u2019s office in Asadganj, Chattogram. They said oral examinations were conducted there and appointment letters were subsequently issued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The inspection also found alleged irregularities in the promotion of senior officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under Islami Bank\u2019s rules, an official must have at least two years of experience in the previous position and a total of 20 years of experience before being appointed as a Deputy Managing Director (DMD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, after S Alam took control of the bank, his personal secretary, Akij Uddin, was promoted to DMD despite having only eight years of banking experience. He had also served for only one year and four months in his previous position, according to the inspection findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another DMD, Miftah Uddin, reportedly had 17 years of total experience, below the required 20 years. He had also served for only one year in his previous position before becoming a DMD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bangladesh Bank inspection report observed that policy changes made at Islami Bank after 2017 appeared to have been introduced, amended or modified in ways that provided additional advantages to a particular group. The report also found that requirements for candidates to sit for written and oral examinations and obtain at least 50 percent marks were not followed in many cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan said the central bank was not directly involved in a bank\u2019s internal recruitment process, as such matters were primarily the responsibility of the individual bank. However, he said Bangladesh Bank could take action as the banking sector regulator if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the inspection report would be reviewed and appropriate measures or instructions would be issued if irregularities were established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Islami Bank\u2019s board appointed four audit firms to conduct special audits into various irregularities allegedly committed between 2016 and August 31, 2024. Those audits also reportedly identified irregularities in recruitment during the S Alam period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following the Bangladesh Bank and external audit findings, Islami Bank decided to conduct a special competency assessment test for employees recruited between 2017 and August 5, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two employees later filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking to stop the examination. The matter was subsequently resolved, and Bangladesh Bank stated that there was no legal impediment to holding the test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Islami Bank subsequently arranged the special competency assessment through the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) of the University of Dhaka on September 27, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to bank data, 402 of the 5,373 employees concerned took part in the examination, and all participants passed and retained their jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, 4,972 employees did not participate in the examination, opposing the decision to hold the assessment. The bank alleged that some of them physically harassed employees who wanted to take the test and issued threats and intimidation. The bank also accused some employees of organising work stoppages, road demonstrations, human chains and press conferences, as well as spreading what it described as misleading information about the bank and damaging its reputation on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bank considered such activities to be violations of discipline and its internal policies. Following recommendations from the board, disciplinary action was taken against the employees concerned. Subsequently, 4,685 employees were released from service after being paid three months\u2019 salary, according to the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Islami Bank Acting Managing Director Altaf Hossain said the employees were not dismissed simply on the basis of whether their original appointments were valid or invalid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the issue was that the required formalities under the bank\u2019s service rules had not been followed during their recruitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to him, the competency examination was arranged to provide the employees with an opportunity to complete the recruitment process. However, they did not participate in the examination and allegedly obstructed others from taking it. As they challenged the bank\u2019s decision, their appointments were subsequently cancelled, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also said Bangladesh Bank viewed the matter as falling within the bank\u2019s own administrative authority.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Special Correspondent: A recent inspection by Bangladesh Bank has uncovered alleged irregularities in the recruitment process of Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC during the period when the bank was under the control of S Alam Group. According to the central bank\u2019s inspection report, as many as 8,542 people were recruited between 2017 and August 2024 without […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bangladesh","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n