Janata Bank officials allege discrimination as promotion freeze continues

Officials of Janata Bank have demanded the immediate approval of the bank's proposed 2025 organogram, alleging discrimination as a prolonged promotion freeze has left thousands of employees without career advancement.

The demand was made by the State-Owned Bank Officials Unity Council (SOBOUC), Bangladesh, at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unit (DRU) today (27 June).

Presenting a written statement, Convener Motahar Hossain said regular promotions have remained stalled following a series of directives from the Financial Institutions Division (FID).

According to the council, the FID instructed state-owned banks on 7 July 2025 to revise their organograms and, on 14 October, suspended regular promotions until previously granted supernumerary (ex-cadre) promotions were fully adjusted.

The council said Janata Bank submitted its proposed organogram to the FID on 11 December 2025 to resolve the impasse, but it is yet to receive approval.

Meanwhile, Sonali, Agrani and Rupali banks have already secured approval for their revised organograms and completed regular promotions using 31 December 2024 as the cut-off date, leaving Janata Bank officials at a disadvantage, the council alleged.

It said the number of promotion-eligible officials at Janata Bank rose from 5,802 at the end of 2024 to 7,268 by the end of 2025, warning that the backlog will continue to grow without additional posts under a revised organogram.

The proposed structure would increase the bank's sanctioned workforce from 18,373 to 21,817, a move the council said would help clear the promotion backlog, strengthen human resource management and improve customer service, digital banking, SME financing, risk management and default loan recovery.

The council urged the government to approve the organogram without delay and end the long-running promotion impasse.