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Published : 03 Oct 2025, 04:25 PM
A hacker group has taken control of the verified Facebook page of Islami Bank amid mounting controversy over a recruitment evaluation test for employees.
The group, identifying itself as “MS 470X”, replaced the bank’s name, logo and cover photo on the page late Thursday night with its own.
The hackers had earlier warned on their website that they were monitoring the bank’s activities and would soon carry out a cyberattack on its social media and website.
By Friday morning, the breach had become public through media reports.
The bank confirmed the incident, saying its IT team was working to resolve the matter.
Facebook later deactivated the compromised page.
As of 3pm on Friday, the bank’s verified page remained inaccessible.
“I learnt on Friday morning that the page had been hacked. IT experts are working to resolve it,” said Nazrul Islam, the bank’s head of public relations.
The hack comes against the backdrop of turmoil within Islami Bank following a shift in ownership last year.
In August 2024, the S Alam Group, which had controlled the institution for nearly a decade, was forced to give up power.
During its tenure, tens of thousands of people were hired into the bank, often through verbal orders, without formal tests or vetting.
The hiring spree swelled the bank’s workforce to 22,000, up from 13,500 in 2016.
In response to mounting pressure to review these appointments, the new board required 5,385 employees to sit for an assessment test on Sept 27.
Omar Faruk Khan, the bank’s managing director, said the move was aimed at ensuring competence among recruits.
“Since they have somehow become involved with the bank, they did not even take the test. Therefore, all those who were recruited unethically will have to go through the test to select the qualified ones,” he said.
He added that the bank would take a “humanitarian perspective,” offering opportunities for training or a second chance to those who failed.
Only 414 employees participated in the test.
The bank subsequently relieved those who did not appear from their responsibilities, citing breach of discipline and violation of the code of conduct.
While they have not been formally dismissed, their fate now rests with the board of directors.
In a message left on the bank’s hacked Facebook page, the group MS 470X claimed responsibility for the takeover, denouncing what it called the “unethical and unfair behaviour” of the authorities.
“The future of thousands of workers will be protected,” the message read.
“An immediate review of unfair dismissals should be announced.”
