TBM Report
Tensions flared in Dhaka’s financial hub, Motijheel, on Thursday (March 5, 2026), as police used water cannons to disperse hundreds of depositors from five merging Islamic banks. The protesters, who had blocked the main road at Shapla Chattar, were demanding the full return of their deposits along with contracted interest rates, rejecting the government’s 4% “haircut” profit policy.
The banks involved—Union, First Security Islami, Global, Social Islami, and Exim Bank—are currently undergoing a merger to form the “Combined Islami Bank.” Depositors are outraged over a decision made under the former Governor’s tenure to cap profits for 2024 and 2025 at just 4%, calling it “inhumane and unjust.” Many claim they have been unable to withdraw even their principal amounts for months, leading to severe financial distress.
“We are not asking for charity; we want our hard-earned savings,” stated a spokesperson during the human chain. The protesters have issued an ultimatum, threatening to besiege the central bank headquarters on March 12 if their demands for a full refund and normal banking operations are not met.
