47 banks have only 9-19.85pc female staff in different positions
The country’s 47 scheduled banks had only 9 per cent to 19.85 per cent female staff in different positions as of December 31, 2012, according to the latest Bangladesh Bank data.
BB officials told New Age on Monday that the indicator of female staff in the banking sector showed that gender discrimination persisted significantly in the banks.The banks are reluctant to recruit women as they think that female staff will have to be granted maternity leave and to be facilitated with transport facility beyond their usual working hours, they said.
Besides, the BB has recently issued a circular requesting the banks to set up childcare units for female staff, they said.
According to the BB data, of the total staff in the banking industry, the percentages of female staff at various levels were: 17.80 at entry level, 15.11 at mid level and 11.15 at senior management level.
The percentages of female staff at various levels were: 19.85 in below 30-year age group, 16.63 in between 30- and 50-year age group, and 9 in over 50-year age group.
The female board members in the scheduled banks were only 14.17 per cent.
A number of banks are yet to implement six-month maternity leave, although the BB asked the banks to implement the leave, a central official told New Age.
The BB data showed that 29 banks had so far given maternity leave to the female staff while only 17 banks had formulated maternity leave policy. Eighteen banks out of 47 usually grant around three months to four months of maternity leave to the female staff.
Only one bank has so far set up childcare unit but other banks are ignoring the BB circular in the matter.
Majority of the banks have not taken any measure to facilitate transports for the female staff so that they (women) can move between their homes and offices safely.
The BB data showed that 25 banks had not arranged any transport facility for the female staff.
Only nine banks initiated arranging awareness training on gender issue in last year.
As of 2012, only 21 banks had reported the BB of having policies of handling gender-related harassment complaints. However, none of the banks had reported receiving any complaint in 2011.
Another BB official said that some private commercial banks had taken initiative to recruit manpower in transparent way and on the basis of merit qualification which opened a new window for the women to attach with the banking sector.
The ratio of females against males in the banking industry will increase in the years to come if the way of transparent recruitment continues, he said.
The foreign commercial banks which are conducting their operations in the country have created an exemplary step in recruiting female staff, the official said.
The FCBs have gone ahead more than the local banks in recruiting female staff in every age group, he said.
The foreign banks think that the female workers are sincere to give efforts in their duties, he said.
Association of Bankers, Bangladesh managing director Helal Ahmed Chowdhury told New Age that many banks had recently increased the recruitment of female staff at entry level.
Helal, also managing director and chief executive officer of Pubali Bank, said, ‘The female staff ratio against the mate staff in my bank is 19 per cent as significant number of women succeeded in the last few recruitment tests. Besides, we have implemented maternity leave in accordance with the BB guideline.’
Some banks think that it is difficult to post the female staff at rural banks, so they (bank authorities) remain reluctant to recruit women, he observed.
‘We are requesting every bank to introduce the six-month maternity leave for female staff’, he said.
-With New Age input
