. Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Governor Prof. Dr. Some groups have started terrorizing the banking sector by taking advantage of the irresponsible statements made by Bishwanath Poudel.

Last week, during the NAFIZ anniversary celebrations, Governor Poudel had said, “Selling someone else’s collateral for one’s benefit is part of corruption.”TAG_OPEN_p_33 The central bank does not take this as an excuse. ”

} Within a week of his statement, the employees of Jyoti Bikas Bank have been seriously harassed when they went to discuss the reason for not repaying the loan taken from the bank for 118 days.

{{TAG_OPEN_p_31} The officials of Saptakoshi Integrated Agriculture Firm, who had taken more than one crore SME loan from the bank, held the bank employees hostage for hours. On December 10, they had misbehaved with Sumit Shrestha, deputy manager of Jyoti Bikas Bank’s provincial office, and Sabin Shrestha, an employee of Rupani branch.

KATHMANDU: Nepal Financial Institutions Employees Association has demanded the government to ensure full security to the employees working in banks and financial institutions.TAG_OPEN_p_30 This incident clearly shows that the employees of the bank working at the grassroots level are very scared of the debtors and the anarchic group.

Employees from the manager to the lower level in the bank are assigned work limits from the center. It is the obligation of the employees to work within these limits. The number of employees being beaten and humiliated is increasing when they have to give loans after collecting deposits and go to collect them after giving loans. The problem is getting worse when the borrowers do not understand that their loans are the money of the general depositors and not the bank’s money, and the mentality that the bank employees can be done under the influence of anarchic groups.

(TAG_OPEN_p_28} The Governor of the central bank, Poudel, is sitting with oil in his ears even when the banking sector is under the evil eye of financial criminals and the wrong target of the Nepal Police. Not only that, he is also being accused of making statements that are indirectly helpful to the anarchist group.

When the Nepal Rastra Bank failed to fulfill its responsibility on time and the problem escalated, the old tradition of issuing a one-page statement saying “Your deposit is safe” at the last moment has been repeated.TAG_OPEN_p_27

} The Bankers’ Association, which has been on the water from time to time in such a sensitive situation, has also disappeared. At present, the lower level employees are afraid of the mistreatment of the borrower, while the upper level employees are terrified of the CIB. The central bank seems to be watching the whole situation.

} The governor, who is roaming from village to village like a ward chairman, has been repeating the statement that “taking advantage by selling someone else’s collateral is corruption” instead of doing concrete work in the interest of the banking sector.

On November 30, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police arrested Ashok Shrestha, CEO of Prabhu Bank.TAG_OPEN_p_24 The arrestees have been identified as Deputy CEO Maniram Pokharel, loan chief Ribas Shrestha, Rajendra Shakya of Guna Airlines and Sujit Shakya, head of remittance department of the bank. Still, the CIB has not stopped laying siege to Prabhu Bank.

} Reconnaissance is being carried out in banks till midnight, searches in offices and parade on depositors’ deposits worth Rs 340 billion. The central bank is not aware of this. The CIB is investigating the loan given by Prabhu Bank to Prabhu Management.

{{TAG_OPEN_p_22} Instead of bringing to book those involved in the incidents of smearing soot on the employees of Jyoti Bikas Bank, garlanding shoes, holding them hostage for hours, the police are pressuring the victims to compromise in such a way that they will cause more pain. According to the police, the victim employees and those involved in the abuse are in discussion at the Kanchanpur Police Office in Saptari district till the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the Bank and Financial Institutions Employees Confederation Nepal (CBFIN) has expressed serious concern over the local security bodies exerting pressure for settlement without registering the victim’s complaint instead of bringing the culprits to book.TAG_OPEN_p_21 Sibfin believes that such behaviour sends a message that the guilty are protected rather than justice.

The association has strongly demanded the Government of Nepal, the Ministry of Home Affairs and its subordinate security bodies to take stern action against all those involved in such barbaric incidents that have a serious psychological impact on the lives of the conscientious employees.TAG_OPEN_p_20 “This attack on banks and financial institutions and their employees is not only an attack on the employees or the banking sector, but also on the state system,” the statement said.

The association has drawn the attention of the government to the illegal activities of tarnishing the credibility, dignity and credibility of the banking sector, encouraging non-payment of loan principal and interest, spreading rumours, obstructing the banking business and physically attacking and humiliating the employees.TAG_OPEN_p_19

Despite the statutory provision to lodge a complaint with the upper management of the concerned bank or the Grievance Hearing Unit of the Nepal Rastra Bank, such reprehensible acts will put the entire banking sector and the country at serious risk.TAG_OPEN_p_18