Govt urged to end conspiracy against IBB, protect depositors

The battle over Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC has returned to the center of public debate as speakers at a discussion in Dhaka on Sunday demanded immediate government action to protect the country's largest Islamic bank from what they described as ongoing political and financial interference.

The call came at a discussion organized by Nagorik Mancha at the Maulana Akram Khan Hall of the National Press Club on Sunday.

Participants urged the government to meet the legitimate demands of protesting customers, ensure the security of depositors' funds, and remove newly appointed chairman Khurshid Alam from office. They also called for corrective measures to restore depositors' confidence in the bank.

The demand reflects growing concern over the future of a bank that holds a significant position in Bangladesh's financial system. Islami Bank is one of the country's largest banking institutions, serving millions of customers through an extensive nationwide network and playing a major role in remittance inflows, SME financing and rural economic activity.

Addressing the meeting, chief guest Maulana Abdul Halim, Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, said the bank belongs to the people rather than to any political organization. 

He argued that previous attempts to portray the institution through a partisan lens had damaged public confidence and weakened an important pillar of the financial sector.  He urged the government to abandon political considerations and act solely in the interest of depositors and economic stability.

Speakers claimed that Islami Bank suffered severe damage during the period of influence exercised by the S. Alam Group and alleged that efforts to control the institution are continuing under different forms. 

Their remarks echoed a broader controversy that has surrounded several private banks in Bangladesh in recent years, particularly allegations regarding the concentration of influence by business groups within the banking sector. Public concerns over such issues have repeatedly drawn attention from economists, regulators and banking observers.