HC stays BASIC Bank's decision to reduce salary

The High Court (HC) on Sunday put on hold state-owned BASIC Bank's decision of reduction in salary-allowance.

The court also issued a rule asking why the decision of salary cut should not be “ultra vires”.

The bench of justices M Enayetur Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order during primary hearing on a writ petition filed by six officials of the bank.

Senior lawyer A M Amin Uddin stood for the petitioners while deputy attorney general advocate Amit Talukder for the prosecution.

On December 22, the bank authorities issued directives to adjust its salary structure in line with the other state banks that caused unrest among the staffers. Since then they have been staging demonstration against the decision.

On December 29 they confined board members of the bank, including chairman Alauddin A Majid and managing director Md Rafiqul Alam, at head office for around seven hours, demanding reinstatement of the previous salary structure.

Earlier on August last year, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal asked BASIC Bank to reduce salary of board members and senior officers.

He then told the bank officials, "You made loss around Tk 354 crore. There are about 2100 employees for just 72 branches. For what works the huge manpower?"