The commercial banks will have to pay overtime allowance and ensure security of their female staff, if anyone has to stay at office after stipulated hours due to special necessity, according to a directive, issued by the Bangladesh Bank (BB) on Thursday.
Besides, the banks will have to stop dismissing their employees unabatedly without showing any legal reason. The organisations will have to recruit their employees following scrutiny and proper process. After recruitment, the employees will have to be provided with proper training in line with their respective positions.
The banks will also have to amend their service rules in line the International Labour Organisation Convention, the Bangladesh Lobour Law 2006, and the BB’s directives for applying during resignation and dismissal of their employees as well as ensure their due financial benefits in such cases, according to the directive.
The central bank issued it after observing that the banks are forcing their employees, particularly the female staff, to stay after office hours.
Moreover, the bank officials raised several allegations that they faced unlawful resignation and dismissal without getting due financial benefits.
The BB termed such allegations as obstacles in the way of ensuring proper human resources management in the banking sector.
BB Governor Dr. Atiur Rahman, at a meeting of bankers on April 30, accused the banks of holding up employees, including female staff, beyond the banking hours, a move that can be termed as a serious allegation against the institutions.
“Bank officials and employees, even the female staff, are unnecessarily told to stay at office even after 6:00pm. This is not humane,” he said at the meeting with the chief executives of banks.
