Interests of legitimate Islami Bank shareholders to be protected: Home minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Tuesday assured Parliament that the interests of legitimate shareholders of Islami Bank will be protected and that all share transfer issues will be resolved in accordance with the law.

He made the remarks while participating in a general discussion on a Rule 68 notice brought by Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman regarding Islami Bank in the Jatiya Sangsad.

The minister also said investigations will be conducted into individuals and institutions that had taken money from the bank in the past and failed to repay it.

Earlier in the session, Deputy Opposition Leader Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher criticised recent changes in the bank’s board of directors and top management.

He alleged that after recovering from the impact of alleged irregularities linked to the S Alam Group, the Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC have once again been placed under the control of controversial individuals.

Responding to the criticism, Salahuddin said Bangladesh Bank has the authority under the Bank Companies Act to take necessary action regarding the chairman and members of a bank’s board of directors.

Any objections to such decisions should be addressed through legal channels, he added.

The home minister alleged that a section of people is deliberately trying to create instability surrounding Islami Bank and is attempting to organise protests under the guise of customers.

“The opposition has every right to play its political role. However, people should not be misled through propaganda, whether conducted openly or from behind the scenes,” he said.

Referring to the ongoing debate over the bank’s ownership and shareholding structure, Salahuddin said allegations related to share trading, ownership changes or irregularities should be properly investigated.

He added that the Anti-Corruption Commission can also examine such allegations if necessary.

The minister noted that different claims and information regarding the bank’s shareholding structure have emerged and stressed the need to make accurate information and statistics public.

He called on the finance minister and the governor of Bangladesh Bank to disclose detailed information on the matter.

Urging politicians not to use religion in political debates, the minister said no bank, individual or political party should be portrayed as a representative of Islam.

“Islami Bank is not Islam, Mirza Fakhrul Islam is not Islam, and Jamaat-e-Islami is not Islam. It is not right to invoke Islam in everything,” he said.