Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Tuesday night told parliament that there appears to be a connection between those withdrawing money from Islami Bank and elements creating disorder inside and outside the institution.
“Those withdrawing money are not doing so because of the nomination of the new chairman; rather, it seems they want to put Islami Bank in danger. There is someone’s hand behind this, aiming to make the bank fail for political gain,” he said while participating in a discussion on a notice submitted earlier by Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman, who called for the return of Islami Bank’s shares to their rightful owners and an end to “unwarranted, illegal and unexpected interference” in the bank’s management.
Protests by a section of Islami Bank customers have triggered a sharp rise in deposit withdrawals, placing Bangladesh’s largest Shariah-based lender under mounting pressure.
The bank reportedly lost Tk 4,240 crore in deposits within seven days following protests that began on June 1 against the appointment of Md Khurshid Alam as chairman by Bangladesh Bank. The demonstrations, held under the banner of the Conscious Customers’ Forum, also disrupted operations at several branches.
The finance minister said Bangladesh Bank has clearly stated that no irregularities were found in its investigation into the appointment of the Islami Bank chairman.
He added that, globally, customers do not withdraw money simply because of a chairman’s appointment.
“Customers care about whether they are receiving their interest properly, whether their money will be returned, and whether they have confidence in the institution. There is no precedent anywhere in the world of customers withdrawing money just because of a chairman’s nomination,” the finance minister said.
“It is not confined to Islami Bank alone. In every situation there is a tendency toward disorder. Whenever something happens, chaos follows. This is part of a process to create political instability,” he said.
The minister also said that after a long time, a Bangladesh Bank governor has come who can take proper decisions within a correct framework. However, he alleged that some are trying to undermine him by branding him as "indebted", which reflects a mindset unwilling to accept correct actions.
“Those withdrawing money and creating disorder in and outside the bank seem to be connected to those who brought today’s proposal [in the parliament],” he said.
He urged all parties to move forward in unity, warning that creating disorder over the issue would not yield significant political benefit.
