Bankers object to compulsory diploma for promotion

Bank officers are not in favour of compulsory requirement of banking diploma in their promotion criteria, the Bankers’ Welfare Association Bangladesh (BWAB) said in a recent letter to the Bangladesh Bank.

Objecting to the new central bank rules, the association said the provision of giving some extra marks to the bank officers for banking diploma in the promotion criteria as stated in the Banking Regulation and Policy Department (BPRD) circular in October 13, 2020 was acceptable to the bank officers.

“But the inclusion of compulsory requirement of banking diploma in the promotion criteria as per the newly issued BRPD circular on February 8, 2023 has created frustration among the bank officers,” added the BWAB letter signed by its president Kazi Md Shafiqur Rahman.

BWAB, in its February 10 letter, urged Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder to refrain from enforcing the new circular, according to a press statement.

In the letter, BWAB argued that, “During the recruitment of officers in the banks, both competitive written exams and interviews are conducted. In addition to primary orientation, officers are given foundation training in the BIBM for one month after selection and joining. Then they are assigned to work in a specific department and are also allowed to acquire practical job knowledge by rotating among different desks.

“When management feels any of the officers needs more expertise in a particular field, he or she has to undergo training at the bank’s own training academy or at BIBM. In each training course, evaluations are also made for individual officers. Thus, the bank officers are properly groomed and equipped with job knowledge.”