Dhaka, August 19 — In the wake of the fall of the Awami League government, Islami Bank has dismissed eight high-ranking officials, including one Additional Managing Director (AMD) and five Deputy Managing Directors (DMD). The decision, reportedly made under pressure from within the bank, also includes the heads of two key departments.

The sacked officials are closely associated with Saiful Alam, the owner of S Alam Group, which had significant influence over the bank’s management. Among those dismissed are Akiz Uddin, who served as Saiful Alam's private secretary, and Miftah Uddin, who was in charge of the bank's loan operations—both of whom held the position of Deputy Managing Director.

Other dismissed officials include Additional Managing Director JQM Habibullah and Deputy Managing Directors Mohammad Sabbir, Kazi Md. Rezaul Karim, and Md. Abdullah Al Mamun. The bank also removed Chief Anti-Money Laundering Officer (CAMELCO) Taher Ahmed Chowdhury and the Principal of the Training Institute, Nazrul Islam.

The dismissal comes after a campaign led by bank officials to "liberate" Islami Bank from the influence of S Alam Group and others connected to the previous government. This internal pressure intensified following the government's fall on August 5, with angry bankers ousting officers appointed by S Alam Group the following day.

Protests continued on August 7 and 8, with bank employees demanding the removal of executives they claimed were appointed illegally during S Alam's tenure. Last Wednesday, under mounting pressure, Additional Managing Director (AMD) Qaiser Ali, who was promoted during S Alam's management, was forced to resign.

The dismissal of these officials is part of a broader push to reconstitute the bank's board and remove those perceived as having mismanaged the institution. S Alam Group, which gained control of Islami Bank in 2017 through a political decision by the Awami League government, has been accused of withdrawing approximately Tk 50,000 crore from the bank over the past seven and a half years.

The recent changes at Islami Bank underscore the ongoing efforts to overhaul the institution's leadership and restore confidence among its employees and stakeholders.