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Published : 17 Jun 2026, 02:59 PM
Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostaqur Rahman has not met the protesters from the Customers’ Forum despite a meeting scheduled with the group’s representatives.
Speaking at Bangladesh Bank around 12:15pm on Wednesday, Prof Nur Un Nabi, convener of the Islami Bank Conscious Customers Forum, said: “The governor did not meet us. He appointed Deputy Governor Kabir Ahmed to hold discussions with us instead.”
After submitting a seven-point demand charter the previous day, a meeting had been scheduled for Wednesday between several representatives of the forum and the governor.
However, the governor did not appear. After meeting with a central bank official, Nur Un Nabi told reporters:
“When we submitted the memorandum, we requested a meeting with the governor. At that time, a director of Bangladesh Bank asked us to come today, assuring us that we would meet the governor directly. That is why we came. But we were unable to meet him.”
He added, “The governor assigned Deputy Governor Kabir Ahmed to meet with us. We presented our seven-point demands to him and requested the formation of a proper board for Islami Bank.”
“We have urged that the board be composed of politically neutral individuals who are free from financial scandals.”
During the meeting, the forum proposed that the shares held by the S Alam Group be seized and sold, with the proceeds used to adjust Islami Bank’s outstanding loans.
According to the forum, the deputy governor stated that an acceptable board for Islami Bank would be formed within a short period.
The previous day, the organisation had submitted a memorandum containing seven demands aimed at restoring stability to Islami Bank Bangladesh, including the return of shares allegedly taken over by force by the S Alam Group to their rightful owners.
Among the demands was the formation of a complete and independent board of directors made up of honest, qualified, experienced, and professional individuals through consultation.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Nur Un Nabi warned that if visible and effective measures were not taken immediately, ordinary depositors would be compelled to announce tougher programmes to protect their deposits.
The seven-point demands included: the formation of a professional board of directors, the transfer of ownership of shares from S Alam Group to their rightful owners, the establishment of a tribunal to prosecute those responsible for alleged bank looting, the avoidance of controversial decision-making, the confiscation of assets belonging to S Alam Group and other alleged bank looters, the amendment of Section 18A of the Bank Company Act and withdrawal of what the forum described as the home minister’s “false statement” regarding Islami Bank in parliament.
The Islami Bank Conscious Customers Forum, which has been carrying out protests since May 24, gathered in the morning in front of Islami Bank Tower in Dilkusha.
After reports emerged that the group would go to Bangladesh Bank to submit a memorandum to the governor, additional police were deployed around the central bank.
Amid the ongoing protests, Bangladesh Bank on Jun 14 cancelled the appointments of former chairman Khurshid Alam and all independent directors of the bank and formed a one-member board.
The regulator is currently overseeing Islami Bank by appointing Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Mohammad Zahir Hussain as chairman and Ashraful Alam as observers.
