No hiring in private banks without exams, certificate verification made mandatory

Private banks will no longer be allowed to recruit new officers and employees for entry-level positions without written and oral examinations. The central bank has also made certificate verification mandatory after recruitment and instructed banks to take disciplinary action against anyone found using forged certificates.

The Banking Regulation and Policy Department (BRPD) of Bangladesh Bank issued a notification to this effect on Monday.

The notification introduces a set of new directives aimed at strengthening discipline in the banking sector, ensuring corporate governance and restoring customer confidence. The measures are primarily intended to ensure merit-based recruitment in banks.

According to the central bank notification, for entry-level positions where prior experience is not required such as management trainee officer, senior officer, probationary officer, trainee assistant officer, junior officer and cash officer, banks must ensure complete transparency and equal opportunity for applicants.

Recruitment notices for such positions must be published on the bank’s own website or a job site, as well as in at least two national daily newspapers.

For entry-level posts, an oral examination must be conducted alongside an objective or written test. This can be done through physical presence or online assessment. Only the most qualified and meritorious candidates will secure jobs based on the marks obtained in these exams. Additionally, for direct recruitment to higher posts requiring experience (excluding entry-level posts), a competitive method including at least an oral examination must be followed.

The new policy places particular emphasis on verifying the educational certificates of bank officers and employees. Within one year of joining the bank, new officers and employees must complete the verification of their latest educational qualification certificate. This must be done from the relevant education board, university or institute.

Banks have also been instructed to verify the authenticity of educational certificates held by existing employees by 31 March, 2027.

Any professional certificate or new educational certificate submitted by an employee during their service for the purpose of promotion or obtaining any financial or non-financial benefit must be verified through the issuing institution and kept in the employee’s personal file.

The same verification process will be mandatory for contract-based officers appointed to any position other than consultants or advisers.

If a banker joins a new bank in a higher position from another institution or bank, the new bank will not need to send the certificates to the relevant education board or university for fresh verification if the previous institution provides a certificate confirming that the educational qualifications were verified.

When releasing a banker from service, the clearance certificate issued by the previous institution must clearly state which of the employee’s certificates had been verified.

If an officer or employee is found to have submitted a fake or forged educational certificate during recruitment or while in service, the bank must take immediate and strict administrative action against them, Bangladesh Bank said.

To protect depositors interests and ensure stability in the banking sector, Bangladesh Bank has also instructed each bank to formulate or update a modern and comprehensive ‘Human Resource Management Policy’, approved by its board of directors, by 31 March next year.

The policy must include 18 specific areas, including recruitment, promotion, leave, code of conduct, prevention of sexual harassment, whistleblower policy and conflict-of-interest management.