Bangladesh Bank report: Female employees drop by 2000 in six months

The number of female employees in the country’s financial sector has continued to decline. In the past six months, banks and financial institutions have lost nearly 2,000 female employees, a fall of around 5 per cent. This information was revealed in a recently published gender equality report by Bangladesh Bank concerning banks and financial institutions.

The report shows that in the July–December period of last year, the total number of women employed in state-owned, private and foreign scheduled banks and financial institutions stood at 37,649. By the end of the first half of this year (January–June), this number had fallen to 35,782. Thus, in only six months, the banking sector saw a decline of approximately 2,000 women, representing a reduction of about 5 per cent.

The report further noted that key indicators for ensuring a women-friendly work environment, such as childcare facilities, transport services and training programmes have deteriorated during the first half of this year compared to the previous six months. The sharpest decline was observed in after-hours transport facilities for female staff. While 52 per cent of women had access to such support in the latter half of last year, the figure dropped to 37 per cent in the past six months.

Bangladesh Bank statistics show that, as of the end of June, the 61 scheduled banks together employed over 213,000 staff, with women comprising only 17 per cent. The remaining 83 per cent were men. Similarly, women accounted for 17 per cent of the workforce in non-bank financial institutions. In other words, for every five male employees, there was just one female employee. Most women are concentrated in entry-level and mid-level positions, with significantly fewer holding senior or decision-making posts.

Commenting on the decline of women in banking and their overall situation, an entry-level female officer at a private bank, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo, maternity leave of six months is not considered in performance evaluations for promotion. Women face discrimination in job appraisal, childcare provision and transport facilities. Although Bangladesh Bank has instructed banks and financial institutions to allow female staff to leave office by 6pm, most do not comply. In the past five years, I have seen seven female colleagues across different banks resign due to childcare difficulties. In addition, women’s participation in the credit division remains very limited. In many banks, these practices have become an unwritten rule for female employees.

According to Bangladesh Bank’s report, although women’s participation in the banking sector has been gradually increasing, their presence in policymaking and senior decision-making positions remains very limited. Among domestic banks, private banks are the weakest performers in this regard, whereas state-owned banks are comparatively ahead. The proportion of women in senior roles in state-owned banks stands at 15.30 per cent. In foreign banks, this figure is approximately 14 per cent, while in private banks it is only 7.85 per cent.

The report further notes that women’s participation at board level or in policymaking roles is highest in foreign banks, where the rate is 17.24 per cent. By contrast, women’s representation on the boards of state-owned banks is the lowest, at around 4 per cent. Overall, within the banking sector, the majority of women are concentrated in entry-level positions, accounting for about 18 per cent of all female employees. At the mid-level, the share of women is roughly 16 per cent.

Commenting on the issue, Professor Shah Md. Ahsan Habib of the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) told Prothom Alo, given the country’s prevailing circumstances, the banking sector is facing significant challenges. As a result, most banks are unable to prioritise creating an ideal working environment for women, being preoccupied with issues such as non-performing loans and crisis management. In addition, due to family responsibilities in the local context, many women cannot fully pursue available career opportunities. However, with the establishment of women-friendly work environments and the extension of certain facilities, women’s participation in the banking sector could be enhanced.

The report indicates that among the four categories of banks — state-owned, specialised, private commercial and foreign — the highest numbers of female employees are found in private commercial banks. As of June, the 43 private banks together employed 25,050 women.

The second-highest concentration was in state-owned banks, with 8,748 female employees across six institutions. By contrast, foreign banks had the lowest number of female employees, only 1,032, while the three specialised banks together employed 1,952 women.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Tanjeri Haque, Head of Priority and Women Banking at Eastern Bank, said, “One of the main reasons for the decline in female employees is the shortage of women in mid-level roles. Many women bankers join the profession with enthusiasm, but due to childbirth or family pressures, many resign midway. Consequently, the number of women able to advance to leadership positions over the long term is very small. Moreover, bias still persists in many institutions. There is a prevailing perception that women in leadership may struggle to balance professional and family responsibilities. Without a change in this mindset, meaningful progress will not be achieved.”