Unfair layoffs: Manpower shortage in banking sector, female employees affected

Staff Correspondent

Many skilled workers who were recruited in the banking sector in the past by participating in competitive examinations have recently been retaliated by various banks. It is reported that this was done under pressure from the Yunus government. This has led to a contraction in employment, especially the rate of female workers in banks has drastically decreased. However, due to the lack of new recruitment in that proportion, the banking sector is facing a clear staffing crisis.

This picture emerged in the Bangladesh Bank’s June 2025 update report.

According to the report, the total number of employees in the country’s banking sector stood at 213,267 as of June 2025, compared to 214,245 at the end of December 2024. This means that the total number of employees in the banking sector has decreased by 978 in six months. However, the main reason behind this overall decrease is the decrease in female employees, which decreased by 1,867 during the same period.

The analysis showed that the number of female employees in private sector banks has decreased the most. It has decreased from 26,064 to 24,050 in just 6 months, a decrease of 2,014 people. Whereas the number of female employees in state-owned commercial, specialized and foreign banks has increased slightly.

There is also a decline in the participation of female workers at different levels: at the initial level: 18.87% → 17.66%, at the intermediate level: 15.96% → 15.84%, at the board of directors: 13.61% → 12.97%, with only a slight increase at the higher level—from 9.73% to 10.25%.

A senior Bangladesh Bank official said, “Many of the appointments made during the previous government have lost their jobs after the change of government. A significant number of them were women, who are no longer returning to the banking profession.”

In this situation, although the number of male employees has increased slightly (889), the overall workforce in the banking sector is shrinking. On the one hand, trained and experienced female employees are being lost, and on the other hand, new recruitment activities have stalled, which creates a deep structural problem for the future.

According to analysts, without a skilled workforce, the banking sector’s service quality, customer service, and ability to maintain technology-based systems could be at risk. In addition, the decline in female participation is reducing the inclusiveness and diversity of the banking sector, which could negatively impact institutional stability in the long term.