The High Court expects that the Bangladesh Bank will not be harsh in implementing its circular issued for fixing the minimum salary for the entry level officials and staffs of the private banks till the settlement of the case continuing with it.
The court, on Thursday, also verbally directed the lawyer concerned to communicate with the Bangladesh Bank authorities so that they don’t take any strict positions for implementing the circular till then.
The High Court bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the direction while hearing a writ petition filed challenging the legality of the Bangladesh Bank circular.
During the hearing on Thursday, writ petitioner’s lawyer Barrister AM Masum prayed to the court to pass an interim direction so that the authority cannot implement the central bank circular till the settlement of the writ petition.
Then the court verbally directed the Bangladesh Bank lawyer, Barrister Tanjib ul Alam, to communicate with the central bank authorities so that they don’t take any strict position for implementing the circular before settlement of the case.
However, Mr Tanjib ul Alam said, "We told the court that we cannot afford it and we will enforce the circular in due time."
The court also hoped that the case will be settled before the time frame, April in 2022, fixed for implementing the circular.
Barrister AM Masum told the High Court that there is not a single country in the world where the regulatory body fixes the minimum salary of any bank or financial institution. If the regulator fixes the salaries then it will be a burden for the banks or financial institutions as the income level of different banks or financial institutions are not same.
On the other hand Barrister Tanjib ul Alam said as a regulatory body, Bangladesh Bank has the power to issue such circular and the Bangladesh Bank has issued it in the interest of maintaining discipline in the banking sector of the country.
Following a writ petition the same High Court bench on February 7 issued a rule upon the concerned bodies of the government to explain in one week as to why the BB circular that fixed the minimum salary for the entry level officials and staffs of the private banks should not be declare without lawful authority.
After Thursday’s hearing, the court adjourned the proceedings till March 9.
Lawyers Fida M Kamal and Tanjib ul Alam appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the Bangladesh Bank, while lawyers AM Masum, Saifur Rahman Rahi and Syed Mahsib Hossain appeared for the writ petitioner, and deputy attorney general Bepul Bagmar represented the state.
Md Farhad Bin Hossain, a Supreme Court lawyer and also a share holder of the One Bank through BO account, filed the writ petition challenging the BB circular issued on January 20 in 2022 fixing the minimum salary of the staffs.
The court has already appointed four renowned lawyers as ‘amici curiae (friends of the court)’ to hear if the central bank has any authority to issue such circular.
The amici curiae are attorney general AM Amin Uddin, lawyers Ajmalul Hossain, Rokanuddin Mahmud and Probir Neogi.
For the first time in history, Bangladesh Bank on January 20 this year fixed minimum salary of entry level officials of private banks in order to encourage talented young to take banking as a career and play role for the economic advancement of the nation.
As per the circular the minimum salary with allowance of assistant officer, trainee assistant officer, trainee assistant cash officer and equivalent officer has been fixed at Tk 28000 and also fixed the minimum total salary of those officers upon completion of probation period at Tk 39000.
bikashju@gmail.com