Grameen Bank employees outraged

Suspecting trickery in the government move to split the micro-finance institution Grameen Bank (GB), its employees now seek Prime Minister’s intervention to stop it. 
Talking to reporters about the much talked about speculation that the bank will be split into 19 entities, Grameen Bank Employees Association leaders on Thursday also mentioned that they will stand firm against the move to split the Bank.

Association general secretary Mohsin Reza said: “From media reports, we’ve come to know that the government is planning to split the bank into 19 entities. We can’t find any rationale for this. It’s a move to swallow the bank more easily. It will be a slaughter.”

He said the Grameen Bank is run by about 84 lakh women stakeholders across the country and “the government has no right” to take over its control from them.

Most of the employees of the bank are also against the move and are thinking of spearheading a strong movement to protect the bank, Mohsin Reza added.

Earlier, at a press conference at the Grameen Bank headquarters on Wednesday, Grameen Bank Employees Association president Samshul Alam urged the Prime Minister for her initiative to stop the ‘trickery with the bank of the poor’.

He sought the Prime Minister’s intervention to stop the move for splitting the bank, reportedly proposed by the recently formed Grameen Bank Commission.

The Grameen Bank Commission through a recent circular on the Yunus Centre website has called for a workshop, titled `Future Structure of Grameen Bank: Some Options’, on July 2.

The Employees Association president Samshul Alam demanded cancellation of the workshop, claiming it to be a part of the plot to swallow the bank.

He also declared a black flag-hoisting programme at all the Grameen Bank offices and stations across the country unless the workshop is cancelled.

Reading out a written statement at the press conference, Samshul Alam said: “We earnestly request the honourable Prime Minister that if you’re a real fried of the poor, if you really love the people of the country, please stop the trickery with the ‘bank of the poor’.”

“We urge the Grameen Bank Commission chairman trough you to cancel the workshop scheduled for July 2.

“If the workshop on July 2 is not cancelled, we’ll hoist black flags at 2,555 Grameen Bank branches in Bangladesh as well as at 266 area offices, 40 zonal audit offices, 40 zonal offices, and at the headquarters,” he added.

Samshul Alam said that all the officers and employees of Grameen Bank will wear black badges to let the people of the country know that ‘the people in power will be sitting to slaughter the Noble prize winning bank’.