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State owned banks hostage to CBAs

By Rafiq Hasan and Govinda Shil
Unwanted intervention and pressure from workers' unions, called Collective Bargaining Agents (CBAs), are hampering smooth functioning of state owned banks.
This has been stated by senior bankers in several interviews with The Daily Star.
They expressed grave concern' over the activities of the CBAs and demanded immediate steps to limit their involvement to workers' welfare related issues.
The Daily Star reporters talked to officials of four banks Sonali. Agrani. Janata and Bangladesh Krishi Bank, recently but none of them wanted to be identified.
"I am afraid of CBA leaders who may 'gherao' me if I am seen speaking against them." one banker said.
The officials said that almost all CBAs were affiliated with major political parties. They said the CBA has 'very good connections' with political
leaders and influential ministers. such as finance minister.
They alleged that CBAs always created pressure, holding bankers hostage to their unjustified demands.
A managing director of a leading nationalised bank was once irritated by the illegal activities and undue pressure of a bank workers' union leader.
He lodged a number of cases against the union its with a nearby thana. Police arrested him several times, but on each occasion he was released within a few days or weeks.
After gaining appointment to a higher post, the main challenge Tor bank official lies in facing' the CBA leaders, the officials said.
There are two to five work- ; ers' unions in each nationalised bank under the umbrella of dif- j ferent political parties.
The bank officials said the I CBA leaders create pressure on I them in all major decisions re-
lated to transfer, appointments, loan sanctioning and in different tenders for development and purchase orders.
Normally 80 per cent of transfers are done on the request of CBA leader said a managing director of a Nationalised Commercial Bank.
He said 30 per cent of workers. holding different posts in employees' unions, do not perform their official duties. They come and sit in their union office and spend the whole day in union activities, he claimed.
Each contractor is compelled to give less then 2 per cent of the amount involved in any work order as toll to the workers’ union before carrying out any development work or Ehase said another high of-of a nationalised bank.
He alleged that the CBAs have established a parallel management in every NCB, which created a major barrier for improving the activities of the banks. In case of any major decision regarding promotion or transfer, the CBA give a list of their choice and try to gain an advantage. If the management does not agree on the list, the CBA start demonstrations and agitation programmes
against them.
Even with regard to promotion and transfer at official levels, which is not under their purview, they intervene and coerce the management.
In such cases, they take bribe ranging from Ik 5.000 to 20,000 from the official concerned.
The World Bank also identified this as one of the major problems facing the country's financial sector and recommended end to all CBA activities.
NCB officials agreed that CBA activities should be suspended for at least 5 years to facilitate the smooth functioning of the NCB's. However, CBA leaders claim they 'seldom cross the boundaries of legality and fairplay' in realising their various demands.
A Sonali Bank workers' union leaders said although CBA leaders sometimes try to gain advantages by Influencing the management, it is not a regular occurrence.
He said CBA leaders also want to improve bank services, make those more profitable. But this is not possible due to autocratic attitude of the management: he alleged.
He also said no trade union should break'its code of conduct.