BMirror Desk :
On September 29, 2024, Union Bank has taken note of the news titled S Alam Withdraws 18,000 Crore Taka from Union Bank published in Prothom Alo. The bank believes that much of the information in the published news is exaggerated, false, and baseless. The distribution of loans (investments) by Union Bank has been done in accordance with the Bank Company Act and the policies of the Bangladesh Bank.
The information written about the bank’s Managing Director (MD) ABM Mukammel Haque Chowdhury is also fabricated and unfounded. The authorities of Union Bank strongly condemn and protest against such false propaganda.On August 27, 2024, the Bangladesh Bank dissolved the board of directors of Union Bank and formed a new board. The management of Union Bank has welcomed all actions taken by the Bangladesh Bank from the beginning and is providing full cooperation to the newly formed board and the audit team of the Bangladesh Bank. However, the news published in Prothom Alo falsely states that the officials of the central bank are not properly following up on the information regarding S Alam’s loans and deposits. As a result, they are unable to reveal the actual situation of the bank. There is no truth in this statement.The report claims that “the situation worsened after Mukammel Haque Chowdhury joined as the MD of the bank in 2020. He is also a resident of Chittagong and related to the S Alam family.
This statement also has no basis. ABM Mukammel Haque Chowdhury became the MD of Union Bank after fulfilling all conditions set by the Bangladesh Bank, and he has no familial relation with the S Alam family. As a top official of the management, he has performed his duties solely in the interest of the bank.The report personally attacks him by stating that Mukammel Haque Chowdhury, known as a collaborator in bank takeover, money looting, and money laundering, was also close to the outgoing government. These allegations mentioned in the report are completely unfounded and malicious. Mukammel Haque Chowdhury has never attempted to take over any bank, and there is no question of him being an accomplice in money looting or laundering. The report cites various baseless information attributed to a senior officer of Union Bank (whose name is not mentioned), which is entirely untrue.
The authorities of Union Bank believe that if any irregularities occur within the bank, no senior officer can escape responsibility. We would like to firmly state that the management of Union Bank is fully supportive of the reform process underway in the banking sector for the country’s best interest.
