Clash, unrest, gunshots erupted at the entrance of the Islami Bank head office at the capital's Dilkusha area on Sunday morning when a group of armed activists allegedly supporters of S Alam Group, the majority shareholder of the bank tried to enter into the bank premises. Officers and employees appointed by S Alam Group who took over the control of the bank buying majority shares utilizing a shady deal facilitated by Awami League government in 2017, were not allowed entry to the bank in the changed political situation.
S Alam Group has lost the bank's control while sacked bank officials were demanding restoration of their jobs forced some key officials including Qaiser Ali, additional managing director of the bank to resign and obstructed others pro-S Alam group employees to resume duties immediately after the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 following a fortnight long deadly job-quota reform protests spearheaded by students On Sunday five bank officials including Godown guard Shafiullah Sardar, Officer Mamun, Abdur Rahman and Baki Billah were injured by gunshots. Of them three sustained severe injuries and were admitted at a hospital in critical condition, bank officials told The Daily Observer.
Several officials of Islami Bank said in the morning bank employees gathered in front of the Islami Bank Tower at Dilkusha protesting money laundering and other banking scams involving billions of taka from bank's coffer by S Alam group during the tenure of the former Awami League government.
The gathering was attacked by a large gropu of S Alam activists spaking the clash, chase and counter chase amid gunshots. However, the attackers fled as employees mounted resistance, eye witnesses said.
Earlier, the anti-discrimination students demanding job quota reforms wrote in graffiti in front of the bank's central office, "We want the death of Hasina's accomplice looter S Alam and his accomplices, including S Alam, Chairman of the bank, his son Ahsanul Alam and senior officials Qaiser Ali and 9 others."
Protests were held at the head office of Islami Bank following the fall of the Awami League government on Tuesday and it was announced that officers and employees appointed after 2017 will not be allowed to enter the bank. At that time Mujib Corner located in the main office was also vandalized. Sunday's development is a follow up incident.
