At a time when the overall economic and business sectors of the country are going through a severe crisis, intense resentment has breached the surface regarding the anarchy and harassment of clients within the banking sector. Due to the current decline in income rates, business sectors are on the verge of collapse. In this situation, the banking sector—once a symbol of public trust—is also suffering from a severe liquidity crisis. Banks are unable to return money according to the demands of their customers, creating a terrifying atmosphere and a crisis of confidence.### **The Necessity of 65 Banks and a Discriminatory Salary Structure**Investigations reveal that there are currently around 65 banks operating in Bangladesh, the vast majority of which are completely unnecessary. Yet, the salaries and privileges of top-level officials in these banks, such as Chairmen, MDs (Managing Directors), DMDs, and SVPs (Senior Vice Presidents), are skyrocketing. The monthly salary of a single MD or Chairman ranges from 1,000,000 BDT to 1,200,000 BDT, 1,700,000 BDT, and even up to 2,000,000 BDT. Alongside this, they enjoy personal loan facilities worth millions, including zero-interest car loans, flat loans, and luxury credit cards.In stark contrast, the lower-tier (second, third, and fourth class) employees, who carry the heaviest workload behind this massive banking infrastructure, are victims of extreme discrimination. According to aggrieved clients and experts, crucial and labor-intensive tasks—ranging from peons to cash counters, cash keepers, analyst teams, and opening Letters of Credit (LC)—are performed by this tier of employees. General customers primarily receive their core services from them. Although banks are officially supposed to remain open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM according to standard rules, these employees are forced to work until 8:00 PM, 9:00 PM, or even 10:00 PM, which completely violates regulations. Despite this excessive labor, they do not receive a respectable salary. Conscious citizens and depositors have strongly demanded that the salaries of these lower-tier employees must be **doubled** immediately.### **Harassment of Clients by Managers and Their Extravagant Lifestyles**The most severe allegations have been raised against various bank branch managers, particularly those belonging to institutions like Premier Bank. General customers complain that whenever they try to speak with managers for urgent matters, they are frequently brushed off with claims of being “too busy” and are subjected to outright rude behavior. This is despite the fact that these banks run entirely on the money of depositors and account holders.Branch managers are living highly luxurious lives using the money of ordinary clients. Many of them own personal flats, plots, and houses in elite areas like Gulshan, Uttara, Dhanmandi, and Siddheswari. Their children attend expensive international standard schools in Gulshan. The value of a vehicle owned by some of these bank officials is nowhere below 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 BDT.Conversely, genuine VIP clients or importers (those who regularly repay CC loans, maintain FDRs, or service their loans) are denied even basic courtesy, let alone a respectful conversation or an offer of tea. Due to such highly unprofessional behavior, many outraged clients are withdrawing their LCs and FDRs worth millions from Premier Bank and other institutions to transfer them elsewhere. Notably, at a specific branch of Premier Bank (such as the Economic Zone Corporate Branch), four to five managers have been frequently transferred within the last 2 to 3 years. This high turnover has caused a massive collapse in the bank’s operations and triggered intense dissatisfaction among customers.### **Robbery in the Name of Hidden Charges and ‘Card Fees’**Customers complain that banks are bleeding ordinary people dry under the guise of various service fees. Whether it is account maintenance fees, yearly CC charges, or annual account renewal fees—exorbitant amounts are being deducted across the board, which critics describe as nothing short of institutionalized robbery.Furthermore, there is immense anger over the annual fees of credit and debit cards. For instance, American Express (City Bank) deducts up to roughly 32,000 BDT as an annual card fee. On the other hand, institutions like Premier Bank and Dutch-Bangla Bank charge between 4,500 and 6,500 BDT every year for card fees.### **Demand for Bangladesh Bank’s Intervention**According to experts and conscious citizens, depositors are the primary driving force of banks. Therefore, Bangladesh Bank should immediately pass a strict law to slash the salaries and additional perks of bank Chairmen, MDs, and managers, bringing them down to a rational level (within the range of a few hundred thousand BDT for top executives).**Stay Tuned for the Next Episode:**In the **third episode** of our investigative report, we will expose in detail—which managers among these 65 banks own how many flats and plots in Uttara, Gulshan, or Dhanmandi, the actual price of their luxury cars, and the true source of their immense wealth!
