Banks block accounts on unacceptable excuses 

The banks trap the clients in blocking their accounts through cases now on the excuse of high and suspected amount of transaction or on intelligent security reports. If the case is not settled, he /she does not withdraw their money from bank. This is destroying the confidence of the customer - said an official of the Bangladesh Bank (BB). 

Embezzlement of Tk 5.16 crore took place from the savings account of a client named Ferdousi Zaman. The aggrieved client sought redress from the concerned Manager and later the Managing Director of the bank. But the bank continues to procrastinate day after day. The client later complained to the central bank.

Action was taken against 15 bank officials involved in the incident but the bank did not pay the client after promising to do the same.

Meanwhile, the BB revealed the truth into the incident by investigating on the basis of the customer's complaint as the bank did not return the money. Later, the bank was forced to pay the money on the order of the central bank. This information was obtained from the Annual Report of the Financial Integrity and Customer Service Department of the Central Bank released on Wednesday. It also paints a picture of customer complaints and settlement in the banking sector.

The BB official said they had taken disciplinary action after the incident was proved in the bank's own investigation. Even then the bank did not return the money thereby trapping the customer.

In this context, former Governor of the central bank. Salehuddin Ahmed said it was a case of moral decay in the banking sector. People deposit their hardly earned savings in the bank having deep faith on the bankers. It is a great crime to breach the confidence. Those who do these things must be brought to justice. Then, recurrence of such crimes will be reduced and confidence of the clients will increase.

According to the report, Financial Integrity and Customer Service Department was set up on March 26, 2011 for speedy disposal of customer complaints. From then till June 30, 2019, a total of 34,006 complaints were received. In the last 2018-19 financial year, 5,499 complaints were received. Of these, 5,493 were settled and 6 complaints remained unresolved.

In 2014-15, all 4,530 complaints were settled. In the 2015-16 financial year, 3,521 complaints were received. Of these, 3,519 were settled and 2 complaints remained pending.

In the 2016-17 financial year, 6,208 complaints were received of which 6,206 were settled and 2 remain unresolved.

Compared to the 2015-16 financial year, the number of complaints decreased by 22.28 percent in the 2016-17 financial year. Compared to the 2016-17 financial year, it has increased by 6.31 percent in the 2017-18 financial year and 56.17 percent in the 2018-19 fiscal year. However, the rate of complaints has decreased in FY 2018-19 as compared to FY 2017-18.

In the financial year 2018-19, 1,593 complaints were received regarding general banking. Besides, there were 313 complaints concerning dissatisfaction over customer service, 26 complaints of check fraud, 61 complaints related to remittances, 463 complaints about ATM and credit cards and 123 complaints involving mobile banking. The rest were allegations.

ask/wi