Over 9,000 bank employees have lost their job in 2017 with banks halved its training and development budget throughout the year, says a recent study.
Numbers of bankers dropped to 81,245 to from 90,265 between 2016 and 2017 while banks spent a meagre 0.25 percent on human resources development (HRD) out of its total operating cost.
Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management unveiled the report at ‘Review Workshop on Human Resources Management of Banks’ on Thursday.
Banks cut down their training and development expenses by 50 percent in 2017 comparing to the previous year, said BIBM Associate Professor Mohamad Tazul Islam.
Blaming the banks for falling to spend one-third of its operating cost on HRD, Islam said, “The international standard for cost on training and development is at least 2 percent to 3 percent.”
Sixty one percent of the bankers said country’s banking sector lacks ethical leadership causing corruption and irregularities, the report said.
Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor Jamal Khan said, “Finance ministry and central bank issued several circulars emphasising human resources management in banking sector with the BB eying on its implementation.”
Former chairman of BIBM SS Chowdhury called for introducing licenses related to profession in banking sector. “Nowadays, experts from different sectors work at banks, so these licenses will be useful,” he said.
Recommending training for the banks’ directors, Former central bank executive director Yasin Ali said, “A portion of the banks’ directors do not know how to behave with the bankers.”
Citing lack of knowledge on banking, Premier Bank Deputy Managing Director MA Abdullah said, “HR personnel should have knowledge on basic baking and promotion of banking personnel.”
“Banks should not charge the recruitment fee rather it should consider as their advertisement,” said John Sarkar, additional managing director of One Bank.