Businessmen have expressed their concern as the information of customers' deposit accounts from the bank has been published through various channels.
They said banks are the safest place to keep deposits. People deposit in banks based on trust and confidence. Now, if anyone wants information from the bank, they are giving it.
On the one hand, banks will lose confidence. Businessmen and common people will suffer. In the larger interest and to keep the speed of industrialization of the country normal, we have to come out of such trends.
Several top businessmen of the country have said that the businessmen of the country have suffered a lot during the corona virus. The Ukraine-Russia war has hit businessmen again. In such a situation, traders will feel threatened if they do not feel safe with the bank. Industrialization will be blocked.
Mohammad Ali Khokon, eminent businessman and president of Textile Mills Association (BTMA) told Bangladesh Pratidin, “It is the responsibility of every bank to protect the privacy of its customers. If you can't do that, people won't think the bank is safe.”
“If a bank is leaking information, don't keep money in that bank. No bank has the right to give information to anyone without the permission of the court and Bangladesh Bank,” he added.
Those concerned said the big businessmen and industrialists of the country are suffering due to the personal secret information of the depositors being given by the bank. Giving information to anyone is creating a crisis of customer confidence in banks. Businessmen are also affected.
Sometimes the husband does not trust his wife and the wife also does not trust her husband in matters related to money and wealth. However, everyone deposits money there with full trust and faith in the bank. If the information of the depositors goes to the third party from that bank then there is no room for people's trust and confidence.
Dr. Jamaluddin Ahmed, Ex-Chairman of Janata Bank Told Bangladesh Pratidin, “Even if the bank wants to, the information of the depositors cannot be given to anyone. Banks are obliged to provide information to anyone if the government wants to know. But if an officer shares this information with anyone, it will violate the employer's or authority's terms of employment. It is a violation of the law if any information is provided by the bank in order to create any kind of rumor or damage.”
“Only Bangladesh Bank or the government authorities can give the customer's information if the government authority wants it for the country's interest,” he added.
Mohammad Nurul Amin, president of Association of Bankers (ABB) told Bangladesh Pratidin, “The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) once sought the bank account details of the depositors but the government refused.”
“Banks should be careful about this. Even if any officer-employee does such work, he should be warned by a letter from the head office so that he does not do it in the future,” he said.
@The interview was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on December 8, 2022 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan.
